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THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES ' 


b£flLMg 

-.'   ^.v .  "^Ajiftafei 


FRONTISPIE(;E.    Meta  Wallace. 


META  WALLACE, 


OR 


THE  SEEN  AND  UNSEEN. 


A  TALE. 


BY  AGNES    D.   RANDOLPH. 


"For  our  light  affliction,  which  is  but  for  a  moment,  worketh  for  us  a 
far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory; 

"While  we  look  not  at  the  things  which  are  seen,  but  at  the  things 
which  are  not  seen :  for  the  things  which  are  seen  are  temporal ;  but  the 
things  which  are  not  seen  are  eternal." — 2  COR,  iv:  17-18. 


BOSTON: 
CONGREGATIONAL  PUBLISHING  SOCIETY, 

CORNER  BEACON  AND  SOMERSET  STREETS. 


COrVKlGHT,    1881,    BY   THE  CONGREGATIONAL    ruilLISHlNii   .sooliTY. 


Stereotyped  by  Thomas  To.1.1, 1  Somerset  Street,  Boiton. 


THE  SEEN  AND  UNSEEN. 


CHAPTER   I. 

N  the  handsome  library  at  Bellevue,  sur 
rounded  by  elegant  furniture  and  costly 
books,  rare  gems  of  statuary  and  paint 
ing,  luxurious  easy-chairs,  and  the  innumerable 
appliances  of  wealth  that  bore  witness  to  modern 
invention,  stood  an  old,  quaintly  carved  desk, 
that  had  been  an  heirloom  in  the  family  for  gen 
erations.  With  an  air  of  superiority,  as  if  im 
pressed  with  the  fact  that  its  sturdy  frame  had 
defied  time  and  its  ravages,  while  the  heirs  were 
gathered  to  their  fathers,  the  venerable  piece  of 
furniture  looked  down  on  its  more  modern 
neighbors,  as  if  defying  them  to  stand  before 
the  sage  who  had  lived  in  the  world  so  long,  and 
seen  so  many  of  its  chances  and  changes  under 
this  very  roof.  Somewhat  after  the  fashion  of 

(0 


2  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

our  grandfathers,  though  rather  more  silently, 
perhaps,  it  bore  witness  to  the  immense  superi 
ority  of  its  own  age  and  day,  while  deploring 
the  degeneracy  of  ours;  forgetful  that  had  the 
same  world  remained  in  primitive  simplicity,  its 
very  self  had  never  been  made. 

The  library  being  a  forbidden  apartment  to 
the  children  of  the  household,  and  the  pigeon 
holes  and  spindle  legs  of  the  venerable  desk  a 
source  of  intense  wonder  and  curiosity  to  child 
hood,  it  was  not  surprising  that  the  room  be 
came  a  great  temptation  to  the  occupants  of  the 
nursery,  and  its  locked  door  the  cause  of  many 
a  wistful  sigh.  Mr.  Wallace,  when  at  Bellcvue 
himself,  sometimes  invited  Meta  to  a  further  ac 
quaintance  with  his  favorite  retreat ;  but  during 
the  long  summers,  when  her  papa  was  away  and 
the  room  turned  over  to  the  housekeeper  —  vig 
ilant  Mrs.  Walker  —  the  child  was  never  allowed 
to  enter,  unless  the  door  was  left  open  by  acci 
dent,  and  she  found  her  way  in,  unsuspected. 

It  was  on  one  of  these  occasions  that  Meta 
invaded  her  father's  territory,  and,  after  a  look 
at  the  pictures  and  books,  scrambled  up  in  a 
chair  at  the  old  desk,  seized  a  piece  of  paper 
lying  among  the  scraps  in  one  of  the  pigeon 
holes,  and  began  to  write  in  large  characters, 
talking  to  herself  earnestly  as  she  did  so. 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  3 

"  It's  very  provoking  to  have  a  doll's  party  all 
to  myself,"  she  muttered,  "  and  Walker  never 
will  as  much  as  taste  anything.  This  old  piece 
of  paper  isn't  nice  enough  for  Kitty  Clare,  she's 
so  fashionable.  Oh,  dear  !  I've  blotted  it,  too  ! " 
Here  ensued  a  moment's  silence,  as  she  turned 
the  oblong  scrap  of  paper  over  in  her  hand, 
looking  ruefully  at  the  blot,  and  discovering,  for 
the  first  time,  that  it  was  covered  with  writing 
on  the  other  side,  with  a  very  plain  signature  in 
a  bold,  masculine  hand,  at  the  end.  This  diffi 
culty  was  soon  disposed  of ;  for,  without  pausing 
to  reflect,  Meta  tore  the  paper  in  half  and  thrust 
it  in  one  of  the  pigeon-holes,  and  then,  possess 
ing  herself  of  a  fresh  sheet,  began  scribbling 
again.  She  was  so  absorbed  in  her  occupation 
that  she  was  conscious  of  nothing  but  Kitty 
Clare  and  her  doll's  party,  until  the  door  opened 
suddenly,  and  the  redoubtable  Walker  stood  be 
fore  her  guilty  eyes. 

"  O  Meta,  Meta !  What  mischief  are  you  in 
now  ? " 

"Indeed,  Mrs.  Walker,"  faltered  the  child, 
hurriedly  scrambling  to  her  feet,  "  indeed,  I  was 
only  writing  a  note." 

"  Writing  a  note ! "  repeated  the  housekeeper, 
suspiciously ;  "  and  who  were  you  writing  to,  I'd 
like  to  know  ? " 


4  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

"  Only  to  Kitty  Clare.  I  wanted  her,  ever  so 
much,  to  come  to  my  doll's  party  — " 

"  Kitty  Clare  ?  I'll  be  bound  you've  been 
playing  with  one  of  those  village  girls,  and  your 
mamma  will  be  blaming  me,  when  she  comes 
home,  for  letting  you  do  it." 

"  But,  dear  Walker,  Florry  and  all  the  girls 
are  away  with  their  mammas,  and  I  have  no  one 
to  play  with.  I  am  sure  mamma  won't  mind 
Kitty,  because  —  because  —  " 

"  Out  with  it,"  cried  the  housekeeper,  impa 
tiently. 

"  Because  she's  nobody  at  all,  only  a  make- 
believe  little  girl  I  play  with  every  day.  Don't 
get  mad,  Walker,  please  don't !  You  see,"  con 
fidentially,  "I  am  so  tired  of  dolls,  and  I  just 
pretend  to  myself  that  Kitty  lives  in  a  beauti 
ful  house,  and  never  does  anything  wrong  or 
naughty.  Isn't  it  fun  to  make  believe  when 
you  get  tired  of  playthings?" 

"Nonsense!"  cried  Mrs.  Walker,  crossly; 
"don't  try  to  make  me  believe  such  foolishness! 
Come  along  to  my  room  until  you  can  speak  the 
truth.  Have  you  been  at  your  father's  papers 
and  books  ?  Did  you  dare  to  touch  anything  in 
the  library,  along  with  your  other  naughtiness?" 

Meta  was  silent  a  moment.  Never  having 
been  taught  the  necessity  of  truthfulness,  she 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  5 

had  a  habit  of  evading  disagreeable  admissions, 
and,  though  naturally  frank  and  ingenuous, 
thought  that,  so  long  as  actual  falsehood  was 
avoided,  there  was  no  harm  in  telling  a  half 
truth.  Now,  therefore,  instead  of  admitting 
that  she  had  torn  a  piece  of  writing,  she  looked 
timidly  in  the  housekeeper's  face,  and  said, 
hesitatingly : 

"  Indeed,  Mrs.  Walker,  papa  keeps  all  his  pa 
pers  locked  up.  I  was  only  writing  to  Kitty 
on  an  old  piece,  and  it  wouldn't  do.  I  don't 
think—" 

To  Meta's  infinite  relief,  her  sentence  was  cut 
short  by  the  sudden  appearance  of  Bridget,  the 
nurse  and  house  girl,  at  the  door. 

"  If  ye  please,  mum,  Mrs.  Walker,  the  sheets 
is  waiting,  and  my  irons  is  getting  cold,"  said 
the  girl,  beseechingly. 

Mrs.  Walker  took  the  child's  hand,  and  led 
her  from  the  room,  in  evident  displeasure. 
Meta,  now  that  the  possibility  that  she  had 
done  some  mischief  was  suggested,  grew  sud 
denly  grave ;  but  her  gravity  did  not  last  long ; 
and  when  the  housekeeper's  room  was  reached, 
she  had  forgotten  all  about  it,  thinking  only  of 
Walker's  anger,  and  not  of  its  cause.  While 
Bridget  and  the  housekeeper  were  busy  at  the 
linen  closet,  she  looked  out  of  the  window  at  a 


6  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

brood  of  pretty  yellow  ducks,  who  were  con 
tentedly  washing  themselves  in  a  muddy  pool 
in  the  yard. 

"And  is  it  wool-gathering  ye  are?"  asked 
Bridget's  cheery  voice,  after  a  while. 

"Oh,  I  was  only  thinking,"  replied  Meta,  start 
ing  out  of  her  reverie,  as  the  big  hand  was  laid 
on  her  shoulder  in  a  rough  caress. 

"Thinking?"  echoed  Bridget;  "and  sure, 
Mrs.  Walker,  ma'am,  it's  too  much  of  the  same 
she  does.  What  should  the  likes  of  her  have  to 
be  thinking  about,  sweet  lamb  ? " 

"  Thinking,  eh ! "  cried  Mrs.  Walker,  from  the 
pile  of  linen  ;  "  she'd  better  be  thinking  about 
her  own  naughty  ways.  And,  by  the  way,  Miss 
Mischief,  you  said  awhile  ago,  in  the  library, 
that  you'd  been  writing  to  a  nobody.  I  don't 
half  believe  you,  and  I'd  just  like  to  have  a  little 
talking,  instead  of  so  many  idle  thoughts.  I'm 
determined  to  have  the  truth  out  of  you  about 
that  Kitty  something  or  other,  so  you  may  as 
well  make  up  your  mind  to  tell  me." 

Mrs.  Walker  left  her  sheets  in  confusion,  and 
walked  over  to  the  window,  looking  very  stern 
and  determined  as  she  took  Meta's  round  face 
between  her  hands.  A  world  of  perplexity 
shone  in  those  pretty  dark  eyes,  as  it  flashed 
over  Meta's  mind  how  difficult  it  would  be  to 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  J 

explain  to  the  practical  Mrs.  Walker  that  she 
really  had  spoken  the  truth,  and  Kitty  was  only 
an  imaginary  character. 

"  I  told  you,"  she  said,  half  sulkily,  half  fright 
ened, —  "I  told  you  she  was  nobody  at  all  but  a 
little  make-believe  girl.  O  Walker,"  she  went 
on,  throwing  her  arms  about  the  woman,  caress 
ingly,  "if  you  did  know  how  tired  I  get  with 
those  dolls  !  I  wish  I  had  a  nice  little  girl  friend 
to  play  with  me,  and  then  I  would  not  have  to 
make  believe.  Don't  get  angry,  Walker,  please 
don't" 

But  Walker  was  angry.  The  poor,  starved, 
unloved  childhood  had  been  so  long  the  source 
of  her  daily  annoyance,  that  she  had  neither  pa 
tience  nor  wisdom  to  understand  its  longings. 

"Don't  think  to  impose  on  me"  she  cried, 
contemptuously ;  "  I  don't  believe  it's  anything 
but  a  story.  You've  gone  and  played  with  some 
of  those  horrid  village  children,  and  I'll  have  to 
take  the  blame.  The  idea  of  a  girl  ten  years 
old  playing  with  make-believe  people  — " 

"  Arrah !  Let  the  child  say  her  own  say,  and 
not  be  judging  her  like  that,"  cried  Bridget's 
kind  voice.  "  Don't  you  know,  ma'am,  it's  the 
way  to  make  her  deceive  you,  always  misdoubt 
ing  her  word  ?  Sure,  Meta,  you  didn't  mean  to 
tell  an  untruth,  my  honey,  but  just  tell  her  you 


8  META    WALLACE,  OR 

didn't,"  said  the  girl,  coaxingly.  But  Meta  was 
not  to  be  coaxed.  She  had  been  so  often 
doubted  that  she  had  grown  indifferent  to  such 
accusations,  and  felt  she  had  no  honor  to  vindi 
cate.  When  Walker  once  made  up  her  mind, 
nothing  could  move  her  ;  so  generally  these  dis 
putes  ended  in  obstinate  resistance  on  the 
child's  part,  and  perplexity  on  the  housekeep 
er's.  Meta's  face  was  now  very  red,  and  her 
hands  tightly  clasped,  but  she  did  not  utter  a 
sound.  The  child  was  learning  self-control,  at 
the  expense  of  truth  and  uprightness. 

"  If  you  won't  open  your  mouth,  I'll  soon  put 
you  where  the  use  of  your  tongue  will  come  to 
you,"  cried  the  housekeeper,  out  of  patience. 

Meta  only  shrugged  her  shoulders,  and  pout 
ed,  though  visions  of  a  dark  lumber-room  up 
stairs,  which  Mrs.  Walker  kept  for  purposes  of 
discipline,  made  her  inwardly  quail.  The  house 
keeper,  at  heart,  was  a  good  woman,  but  she 
possessed  a  most  irritable  temper ;  and  the  un 
limited  control  accorded  her,  during  Mrs.  Wal 
lace's  summer  tours,  made  her  often  unjust. 
She  had  been  in  the  family  during  her  own  girl 
hood,  had  imbibed  its  prejudices,  and  did  very 
much  as  she  pleased  with  the  whole  establish 
ment.  Being  of  unblemished  honesty,  and  very 
capable,  Mrs.  Wallace  never  questioned  her 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN. 


ability  to  govern,  and  so  Meta's  youthful  im 
pressions  were  left  to  very  questionable  guid 
ance.  Bridget's  heart,  overflowing  with  kindly 
sympathy,  had  long  since  accorded  a  loving  ten 
derness  to  the  neglected  child,  and  her  inde 
pendent  partisanship  had  averted  many  a  storm 
in  the  nursery,  where  Florry  tyrannized  and  Ed 
ward  teased.  In  the  servants'  department  she 
always  interposed  her  brawny  arms  between 
poor  Meta  and  harm  ;  so  a  warm  friendship  had 
sprung  up  between  them,  and  in  Meta's  eyes 
there  was  no  sweeter,  kindlier  face  than  the 
plain,  good-natured  features  of  her  Irish  nurse. 
So  now,  when  Mrs.  Walker's  wrath  boiled  over, 
and  the  big  key  of  the  lumber-room  was  drawn 
forth  from  the  basket,  to  be  put  into  immediate 
use,  Bridget  laid  an  entreating  hand  on  the 
woman's  arm,  as  she  cried,  earnestly : 

"  Sure,  ma'am,  /  understand  the  child.  She 
didn't  mean  to  deceive  you,  but  she's  been  de 
ceiving  herself." 

"  Deceiving  herself  ?  What  can  possess  you, 
Bridget  ?  You  think  Meta  always  in  the  right. 
It  is  really  absurd,  the  way  you  spoil  the  child." 

"  Nay,  nay,  ma'am,"  cried  Bridget,  with  a 
flushed  face;  "sure,  an'  I  only  wants  justice 
done.  I  did  the  same  at  her  age,  and  was  never 
doubted  the  truth,  neither.  Oh,  I  remember  me 


IO  META    WALLACE,  OR 

the  make-believe  people  as  I  played  with  oft 
and  over,  in  the  old  field  beyont  my  mother's 
house  in  the  dear  auld  counthry.  O  ma'am,  let 
the  poor  child  alone  with  her  friends ! " 

The  tender  Irish  heart  was  overflowing  with 
recollections  of  home,  as  Bridget  wiped  away 
the  moisture  in  her  honest  blue  eyes  with  a  cor 
ner  of  her  clean  starched  apron. 

Mrs.  Walker,  with  a  sudden  resolution,  threw 
the  key  of  the  lumber-room  back  in  her  basket, 
and  left  the  room,  shutting  the  door  with  a 
bang. 

In  a  moment  Meta  was  in  Bridget's  lap,  hug 
ging  the  fat  neck  with  her  pretty  bare  arms, 
kissing  and  patting  the  homely  face  of  her 
homely  friend. 

"  Don't  cry,  Bridget,"  she  sobbed  out ;  "  oh, 
you  dear  old  good  Bridget,  don't  cry."  But  her 
childish  sympathy  only  brought  the  tears  faster. 

"  Oh,  the  dear  days  that  are  gone  from  me ! " 
sobbed  the  girl,  her  face  buried  in  the  apron; 
"  the  father,  the  mother,  the  cottage,  and  all  my 
friends,  and  all  my  plays  gone  from  me,  and 
only  Johnny  and  poverty  left." 

Meta  sat  in  an  awestruck  silence  as  Bridget's 
broken  sentences  were  sobbed  out.  Child  as 
she  was,  the  sight  of  true  grief  banished  her 
own  little  cares,  and  roused  the  quick  sympathy 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  \  \ 

of  her  tender  heart.  That  Bridget,  her  own 
true  friend,  whose  cheerful  voice  always  roused 
her  from  her  own  perplexities,  should  have  a 
trouble  of  her  own,  opened  a  new  phase  of  life 
to  her  wondering  eyes.  Were  there  greater 
trials  in  the  big  world  than  the  loneliness  of  a 
dwarfed  child-life,  and  the  stinging  sense  of 
daily,  hourly  injustice  ?  Were  Mrs.  Walker's 
stern  sentence,  and  papa's  coldness,  and  mam 
ma's  absorption  only  a  part  of  the  great  lesson 
of  sorrow  to  be  learned  ? 

It  seemed  to  Meta  as  if  a  shadow  had  drifted 
over  the  sun,  since  Bridget,  too,  could  cry. 
That  blithe,  cheerful  countenance  was  unlike 
itself  in  tears ;  yet,  though  longing  to  console 
in  her  small  way,  she  refrained,  with  instinctive 
delicacy,  from  saying  aught  until  the  girl  had 
regained  composure,  and  smiled  in  her  face ; 
and  then  self-control  was  lost  in  a  passion  of 
tears  on  the  broad  shoulder  of  her  friend. 

It  was  thus  Mrs.  Walker  found  them  a  few 
minutes  later;  and,  mentally  styling  Bridget  a 
"  silly  goose,"  she  sent  her  to  another  part  of 
the  house,  and  prepared  to  hear  Meta's  defense 
of  her  imaginary  friends.  Bridget's  sorrow  had 
completely  overcome  the  child's  obstinacy,  and 
she  volunteered  the  information  Mrs.  Walker 
waited  for.  Vague  guesses  of  the  cause  of  her 


12  MET  A    WALLACE. 

nurse's  tears,  and  of  who  "Johnny"  could  be, 
had  entirely  absorbed  hot  attention  ;  and  though 
she  listened  respectfully  to  Mrs.  Walker's  lect 
ure  on  truthfulness,  very  little  of  it  really  en 
tered  her  brain.  When  threatened  with  a  letter 
to  mamma  if  Kitty  Clare  turned  out  to  be  a 
flesh-and-blood  village  girl,  instead  of  a  myth, 
she  had  dutifully  answered,  "  Yes,  ma'am,"  and 
then  joyfully  accepted  permission  to  follow 
Bridget  to  the  laundry. 

As  she  closed  the  door  after  her,  she  paused 
a  moment  in  the  passage ;  and,  hearing  Bridget's 
cheerful  voice  warbling  the  plaintive  melody, 
"  Begone,  dull  care,"  Meta,  with  true  childish 
forgetfulness  of  trouble,  ran  off  merrily  to  seek 
her  friend. 


CHAPTER   II. 

HE  wondering  brown  eyes  of  our  little 
friend  had  opened  on  this  busy  life  in 
a  beautiful  apartment  of  a  grand  house 
in  New  York.  Silken  curtains  shut  out  rude 
sounds  from  her  baby  ears,  and  delicate  laces  lay 
cunningly  around  the  little  face ;  yet  Meta  cried 
like  other  wee  babies,  and  took  just  as  strange, 
wondering  observation  of  surrounding  objects, 
with  her  blinking  baby  eyes,  as  the  rest  of  the 
human  family.  Wealth  could  not  take  away  the 
aches  and  ills  of  babyhood ;  nor  could  her  cat 
nip  and  pap,  served  in  a  gold-lined  cup,  by  the 
most  dignified  of  nurses,  still  the  determined 
exercise  of  her  baby  lungs.  She  went  through 
the  infinite  variety  of  infant  tortures,  from 
being  dosed  with  sedatives  when  she  was  cross, 
down  to  violent  shakings  when  she  would  fain 

(13) 


14  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

have  slept,  just  as  though  she  were  not  the 
child  of  a  household  whose  every  wish  was 
gratified. 

The  Wallaces  of  Bellevue,  on  the  Hudson, 
were  an  old  family,  in  which  wealth  had  been 
handed  down  from  one  generation  to  another; 
and,  at  the  time  of  which  we  write,  Edward 
Wallace  stood  in  the  foremost  rank  of  the  mill 
ionaires  of  his  native  State. 

They  were  a  proud  race,  and  had  so  long 
"flourished  like  a  green  bay  tree"  in  the  garden 
of  earthly  prosperity,  that  they  felt  an  uncon 
scious  security  against  misfortune,  and  read  of 
the  fate  of  those  whose  confidence  was  placed 
in  the  multitude  of  riches  as  if  they  themselves 
were  set  apart  as  too  exclusive  to  be  reached  by 
the  adverse  winds  that  made  shipwreck  of  so 
many  human  hopes.  Mr.  Wallace  had  retired 
from  business  for  some  years,  and"  spent  most 
of  his  time  at  Bellevue  during  the  winter, 
though  the  family  regularly  went  to  town  at 
that  season.  Even  here,  surrounded  by  books 
of  all  nations  and  people,  he  kept  up  the 
old  routine  of  thought.  The  accumulation  of 
money  had  so  long  absorbed  every  faculty  of 
his  being,  that  even  his  luxurious  surroundings 
could  not  rouse  his  mind  from  the  treadmill  it 
had  gone  over  so  diligently  for  years ;  and  he 


THE   SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  I  (J 

still  regulated  his  cheerfulness  of  spirit  by  the 
fall  or  rise  in  gold.  He  did  not  come  of  a  god 
less  race,  for  there  had  been  Wallaces  who  had 
suffered  and  died  for  the  faith ;  but  the  "  deceit- 
fulness  of  riches  "  and  "  the  pride  of  life  "  had 
choked  the  Word  in  his  heart,  and  favored  the 
growth  of  such  noxious  weeds  as  needed  a 
strong  Hand  to  uproot. 

Mrs.  Wallace  was  a  fair,  beautiful  woman,  in 
the  prime  of  life.  At  once  the  leader  and  the 
envy  of  fashionable  friends,  she  was,  like  her 
husband,  building  a  palace  for  her  soul  in  which 
to  "  eat,  drink,  and  be  merry,"  stifling  all  enno 
bling  desires  in  a  perpetual  round  of  gayety,  and, 
despite  her  wealth  and  her  power,  living  a  life 
of  absolute  slavery  to  the  world  —  that  false 

—  world,   with  encroachments   that  chafe  and  perplex, 
With   its  men   against  men,   and  its  sex  against  sex. 

That  other  world  —  the  great  sorrowing  heart 
of  human  nature,  throbbing  out  its  woes  in  the 
din  of  a  great  city  —  was  outside  the  narrow 
boundary  of  her  exclusive  set,  and  she  neither 
believed,  nor  cared  to  vindicate,  its  wrongs. 
Was  it  not  enough  that  she  scrupulously 
headed  subscription  lists  with  a  sum  beyond 
the  reach  of  her  neighbors?  that  she  patronized 
fairs  and  bazars,  and  even  condescended  to  look 


1 6  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

pretty  and  bewitching  behind  the  stalls  thereof? 
that  she  regularly  entered  her  cushioned  pew  in 
a  white  marble  edifice,  where  low  chantings, 
and  robed  boys,  and  dim  lights  were  artistic 
aids  to  devotion  ?  If  there  were  suffering 
women  and  little  barefooted  children,  with 
starved  bodies  and  souls,  within  a  stone's  throw 
of  her  beautiful  residence,  didn't  she  pay  sober 
women,  who  liked  ministering  to  "  that  sort  of 
people,"  to  go  and  visit  them  by  proxy  ?  Why 
should  her  dainty  skirts  sweep  through  the 
garbage,  over  dirty  thresholds,  to  rooms  whose 
very  odor  made  her  faint  ? 

All  very  useless  would  it  be,  dear  children,  if 
we  could  only  look  forward  to  shifting  our  judg 
ment  to  come  on  some  sober  person  who  liked 
"this  sort  of  thing."  But  inasmuch  as  "if  we 
do  unto  the  least  of  these,"  we  have  done  unto 
Christ  himself,  it  is  easy  to  see  that  the  bless 
ing  cannot  come  by  proxy,  any  more  than  deeds 
of  mercy  can  be  entirely  paid  for,  though  it  is 
our  own  money  that  heads  the  list.  That  dis 
cipline  to  our  hearts,  and  that  comfort  to  sor 
rowing  humanity,  which  deeds  of  charity  in  per 
son  alone  can  bring,  is  not  to  be  wrung  out  of  a 
subscription-list  to  instruct  the  heathen.  If  we 
would  know  how  men  and  women,  and  even  ten 
der  children,  of  like  feelings  with  us,  go  through 


THE  SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  IJ 

the  days  and  nights  of  sorrow  and  pain  and 
starvation,  we  must  learn  the  lesson  for  our 
selves  ;  ours  must  be  the  lips  to  cheer  with 
words  of  sympathy,  ours  the  hands  to  hold  the 
cup  of  cold  water  to  burning  lips,  else  we  have 
only  half  accomplished  the  injunction  laid  upon 
us  by  One  whose  care  was  not  for  the  rich  and 
mighty,  but  for  the  sinful  and  sorrowing  among 
men. 

The  husband  and  wife  were  too  much  ab 
sorbed  in  their  separate  interests  to  give  them 
selves  up  to  a  home  life.  Everything  in  the 
stately  house  was  conducted  in  admirable  taste 
and  regularity ;  but  there  was  no  one  room,  in 
all  the  luxurious  building,  where  that  indescrib 
able  air  of  sympathy,  and  love,  and  tenderness 
prevailed,  which  is  such  a  blessed  gift  to  most 
of  us  in  our  homes.  The  grand  nursery,  where 
hirelings  performed  the  sweet  offices  that  form 
the  joy  and  pride  of  motherhood,  was  too  grand 
to  be  comfortable.  Children's  voices  were 
tuned  to  a  low  key  by  discipline,  and  the  ele 
gant  toys  and  furniture  were  only  to  be  looked 
at.  Mrs.  Wallace  paid  a  visit,  two  or  three 
times  a  week,  to  the  children's  department,  and 
on  such  occasions  allowed  them  to  play  with  her 
watch,  or  tell  their  grievances  ;  but  the  visit  was 
hardly  a  pleasure  to  her. 


1 8  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

Edward,  Florence,  and  Meta  were  the  only 
survivors  of  six  beautiful  children.  Wealth  had 
no  power  to  stay  the  hand  of  the  Destroyer,  for 

Death  comes  down   with   reckless  footstep 
To  the  hall   and   hut. 

But,  though  the  light  of  sweet  eyes  went  out 
in  darkness,  and  the  mother  folded  little  waxen 
fingers  in  a  last  clasp  over  the  muslin  drapery, 
no  lesson  came  home  to  the  heart  wrapped  up 
in  so  many  worldly  cares.  The  house  was 
closed,  and  the  gayety  ceased,  for  a  season;  but, 
further  than  this,  Mrs.  Wallace  gave  no  greater 
evidence  of  her  losses  than  the  expensive  half- 
mourning  that  had  replaced  her  more  gaudy 
surroundings. 

The  little  ones  who  were  spared  to  her  were 
left  to  struggle  feebly  upward  to  the  light; 
those  who,  at  the  splendid  christenings,  had 
forsworn,  in  their  names,  "  the  world,  the  flesh, 
and  the  devil,"  were  in  bondage  themselves  to 
the  same. 

At  the  time  we  write  of,  Edward,  the  eldest, 
was  sixteen,  and  pretty  much  beydhd  the  con 
trol  of  either  parent.  He  spent  an  ample 
allowance,  while  pretending  to  go  through  a 
course  of  study  at  Yale,  and  had  already  oc 
casioned  his  father  considerable  uneasiness  lest 


THE  SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  IQ 

his  energies  as  a  man  should  be  wasted  in  riot 
ous  living. 

Florence,  three  years  younger,  was  already  a 
miniature  woman,  who,  promoted  from  the  thral 
dom  of  the  nursery,  entertained  her  mother's 
visitors,  and  was  regularly  taken  to  the  summer 
resorts  with  her  parents.  Her  lively  manners, 
witty  conversation,  and  beautiful  face,  made  her 
the  spoiled  darling  of  the  mother's  heart,  and 
the  pet  of  the  fashionable  coterie  in  which  they 
moved. 

Meta,  being  only  ten,  and  a  shy,  queer  little 
girl,  always  in  disgrace,  was  still  under  the 
dominion  of  nursery  government ;  and,  while 
her  mamma  and  Florry  drank  in  the  exhilarat 
ing  ocean  air,  she  was  left  all  through  the  long, 
hot  summers  at  Bellevue,  under  Mrs.  Walker's 
charge. 

On  the  whole,  she  liked  the  summers  best. 
She  was  too  natural  and  free  to  learn  Florry's 
worldliness,  and  was  always  committing  some 
gaucherie  in  the  drawing-room  which  brought 
her  in  disgrace.  City  life  stifled  her ;  for  she 
hated  to  be  dressed,  and  have  her  hair  curled, 
nor  could  she  endure  French  maids.  In  the 
country  all  was  congenial.  Nature's  sights  and 
sounds  were  an  untold  delight  to  her  child-heart. 
She  loved  to  wade  in  the  brook,  feed  the  chick- 


2O  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

ens,  when  Mrs.  Walker  was  in  a  good  humor, 
and  to  go  with  Bridget  to  the  lot  where  Cather 
ine  milked  the  cows.  A  draught  of  the  warm, 
sweet  milk  was  far  more  delicious  to  her  uncul 
tivated  palate  than  the  wine  at  her  father's 
table,  just  because  it  was  never  so  warm  and 
sweet  in  New  York.  Bridget  had  not  been 
long  in  Mrs.  Wallace's  service,  and  Meta  had 
gone  through  divers  rough  hands  before  she 
became  the  charge  of  the  good  Irishwoman. 
So,  by  very  force  of  contrast,  a  warm  friendship 
had  sprung  up  between  them  at  once;  and  the 
summer  at  Bellevue,  of  which  we  write,  brought 
with  it  many  pleasures,  notwithstanding  Meta's 
occasional  disgrace. 


CHAPTER    III. 

S  it  you,  darlint  ? "  asked  Bridget's 
cheery  voice,  as  Meta  opened  the 
laundry  door. 

"  Yes,  and  I  have  come  to  have  a  nice  talk 
with  you,"  she  answered,  approaching  the  table 
where  Bridget's  muslin  ruffles  were  assuming 
elegant  shapes  in  her  deft  ringers.  Resting 
her  round  face  on  her  hands,  the  child  looked 
on  earnestly  and  admiringly  at  the  progress  of 
Bridget's  work,  and  plied  so  many  questions, 
on  various  subjects,  that  the  busy  woman  found 
it  hard  to  answer. 

"Nay,  Meta,  be  quiet  against  I  finish  the 
dress,"  she  remonstrated,  "and  then  we'll  go  for 
a  look  at  the  cows  while  Catherine  milks." 

Meta  with  difficulty  ceased  talking,  but  her 
patience  was  not  long  tried.  Bridget's  swift 

(21) 


22  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

hands  had  soon  finished  the  ironing,  and  the 
two  were  at  liberty  to  seek  the  favorite  resort 
—  the  lot  where  Catherine  reigned  over  the 
milk-pail. 

As  they  took  the  little  worn  path  across  the 
fields,  Meta's  tongue  went  as  busily  as  ever. 

"  Isn't  it  funny,  Bridget,  that  you  played  with 
make-believe  people,  just  like  me  ?" 

"  Yes,  Meta,  I  was  a  queer  body  of  a  child, 
and  my  mother  had  no  bairn  then  but  me- 
Johnny  is  ten  years  younger  nor  I  ;  and  when 
he  was  a  baby  yet,  I  was  helpin'  in  the  cottage, 
and  not  thinking  of  dolls  nor  fairies." 

"  Fairies,  Bridget  ?  Why,  mamma  says  there 
are  no  such  people,  and  all  those  stories  are  un 
true!" 

"  So  they  be,  so  they  be,  darlint !  Only  in 
the  auld  counthry  the  folks  say  that  once  in  the 
world  the  fairies  did  live,  and  their  pots  of  stone 
could  be  found  on  the  beach  by  the  sea." 

"  But  they  couldn't,  could  they,  Bridget  ? " 

"  Nay,  Meta,  I  fear  me  not !  Many's  the  day 
I  loitered  with  my  basket  of  peat  to  look  for  a 
fairy  pot,  but  I  never  found  one.  I  used  to 
wish  they  did  live,  when  Johnny's  back  was 
so  bad,  and  the  doctors  had  no  comfort  for  my 
mother." 

The  girl,  overcome  by  recollections  of  home, 
was  crying  again,  softly. 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN. 


Meta,  forgetting  that  she  had  come  out  to  see 
the  cows,  suddenly  pulled  Bridget  down  on  a 
large  flat  stone  in  their  path,  and  sat  down  at 
her  feet,  looking  up  in  the  tearful  face. 

"  Tell  me  all  about  it,  now,"  she  said,  taking 
the  rough  hand  in  hers;  "and  don't  cry,  Bridget, 
or  I  will  cry,  too." 

There  was  a  quiver  about  the  lips  as  she 
ceased,  and  the  woman,  observing  it,  told  her 
story  without  further  urging,  after  laying  the 
curly  head  in  her  lap,  and  tenderly  smoothing 
the  child's  brow.  It  was  a  very  old  story  of 
sickness  and  poverty,  but  it  was  new  to  the 
wondering  listener.  Reared  in  luxury,  she 
knew  nothing  of  the  countless  number  of  hu 
man  beings  who  perish  for  lack  of  the  food  and 
raiment  she  had  received  as  a  matter  of  course. 
Bridget  had  come  from  the  North  of  Ireland, 
where  her  father  had  received  as  his  birthright 
the  legacy  of  Protestant  faith,  and  poverty.  He 
had  been  a  day-laborer  in  a  flourishing  mill, 
and,  by  great  industry  and  economy,  had  man 
aged  to  support  his  family  in  their  frugal  wants  ; 
but  a  fatal  day  came,  when  a  misstep,  a  loss  of 
balance,  a  sudden  blurring,  blinding  mist  before 
his  eyes,  and  he  was  caught  in  the  machinery. 
A  poor,  mangled,  lifeless  mass  was  all  that  re 
mained  of  humanity  when  assistance  reached 
him. 


24  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

The  feeble,  invalid  wife  never  recovered  the 
shock,  and  in  a  few  months  Bridget  was  sole 
guardian  of  Johnny  —  the  young  brother,  de 
formed  and  suffering  from  his  birth.  There 
were  many  sympathizing  hearts  and  ready 
hands  among  their  poor  neighbors,  but  the 
struggle  for  subsistence  was  too  great  for  them 
to  give  vent  to  the  generous  promptings  that 
filled  those  humble  hearts.  The  only  relative 
of  the  orphans  was  an  uncle,  rather  well-to-do, 
in  America,  who  offered  to  support  Johnny,  and 
help  find  employment  for  his  niece,  if  they 
would  try  the  New  World ;  and  so,  despite  their 
heavy  grief,  Bridget,  looking  upon  America  as 
the  land  of  promise  and  of  rest,  was  buoyed  up 
with  hope,  and  left  her  old  home  to  seek  her 
fortune  across  the  water.  For  six  years  all 
went  well.  She  made  kind  friends  in  the  West, 
where  she  left  Johnny  on  his  uncle's  farm,  and 
still  kinder  friends  in  New  York,  where  she 
worked  for  herself.  But  during  the  spring  of 
that  year  her  troubles  began.  The  uncle  died 
suddenly,  leaving  his  large  family  very  much 
straitened;  and  Bridget's  pride  rebelled  against 
leaving  her  invalid  brother  a  burden  on  the 
widow.  Just  before  entering  Mrs.  Wallace's 
service  she  had  succeeded  in  exciting  the  inter 
est  of  a  benevolent  physician,  in  whose  family 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  2$ 

she  had  once  lived,  in  Johnny's  case ;  and 
through  his  kindness  and  liberality  secured  a 
place  for  the  boy  in  one  of  the  city  hospitals, 
where  he  had  been  comfortably  installed  just 
before  she  had  moved  to  Bellevue  for  the  sum 
mer.  The  poor  woman  had  begun  her  story  in 
a  voice  choked  with  sobs,  but  by  degrees  she 
had  grown  calmer;  and  when  she  reached  the 
recital  of  Johnny's  life  in  the  hospital,  she  even 
smiled. 

"O  darlint!"  she  cried,  earnestly,  "he  is  such 
a  lovely  child !  The  poor  body  is  often  turning 
and  writhing  with  pain,  but  the  big  blue  eyes 
shine  like  stars  when  I  go  to  see  him,  and  he 
smiles  so  peaceful  like,  and  tells  me  he's  learn 
ing  how." 

"  Learning  how  ?  Why,  what  can  he  mean 
by  that?" 

"  Oh,  then,  I  must  tell  you  in  his  own  beauti 
ful  words,  Meta.  He  says  he  has  the  loveliest 
dreams  about  angels,  and  crowns,  and  shining 
white  robes,  and  that  he's  learning  the  way  to 
that  far-off  country  where  he  will  throw  away 
his  vile  body  to  be  washed  clean  in  the  blood  of 
the  Lamb." 

"  What  can  he  mean  ? "  asked  Mcta,  in  an 
awed  voice;  "does  he. mean  he  is  going  to 
heaven  ? " 


26  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

"  He  means  he  is  learning  the  way,"  replied 
the  sister,  with  happy  confidence.  "He  says 
when  the  pains  take  him  he  thinks  of  the 
blessed  Lord  that  suffered  for  him,  and  he  prays 
for  strength  not  to  get  tired  with  the  bearing  it. 
When  we  go  back  to  New  York,  I  will  ask  your 
mamma  to  let  you  go  with  me  to  the  hospital. 
Sure,  it's  a  sight  to  see ;  the  poor  wasted  body, 
and  the  great  soul  of  him  looking  out  at  the 
eyes." 

"What's  the  matter  with  him  that  makes  his 
body  so  funny,  Bridget  ? " 

"The  spine,  Meta;  all  crooked,  and  full  of 
pain  — " 

"  Why  didn't  you  tell  me  about  him  long  ago  ? 
He  might  have  had  my  oranges  and  cakes,  you 
know ;  and  I  could  have  gone  with  you  ever  so 
often—" 

"I  fear  me  your  mamma  will  not  like  it,  now," 
said  Bridget,  doubtfully ;  "and  you  remember,  in 
the  city,  darlint,  you  was  always  with  the 
Frenchwoman ;  and  then  Johnny  only  came 
before  we  left,  a  pace." 

"Mamma  is  not-going  to  care  a  bit;  I'll  ask 
her.  I  went  to  all  sorts  of  places  with  Rosalie, 
and  she  never  said  a  word  about  it.  But, 
Bridget,  who  told  your  brother  to  be  so  good  ? " 

"Arrah,  don't  be  asking  such-like  questions, 


THE   SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  2J 

Meta.  Wasn't  it  my  blessed  uncle  and  his  poor 
widow  as  helped  him  to  find  comfort  ?  And 
then  there's  good  Mrs.  Hale,  as  acts  a  mother's 
part  by  my  poor  boy.  She  is  the  nurse  that 
belongs  to  his  ward ;  and  a  good  Christian 
woman  she  is,  God  bless  the  likes  of  her  in 
the  land!" 

"  Did  she  beg  him  not  to  cry  when  his  back 
ached,  and  talk  to  him  about  the  white  robes, 
and  the  angels  ? " 

"Well!  and  we'll  say  she  did;  but  it  was 
God's  spirit  working  in  her.  And  praise  God 
do  I,  on  my  bended  knees,  each  night,  for  rais 
ing  up  a  motherly  friend  for  my  Johnny.  Ah, 
I  doubt  not  her  counsels  is  good." 

"But  then,  you  see,  Bridget,  telling  people  to 
bear  pain,  and  not  cry,  don't  make  them  do  it. 
When  I  had  the  measles  I  wasn't  much  sick, 
but  I  cried  a  good  deal ;  you  see,  I  felt  so  cross, 
and  Rosalie  was  so  mean.  Mamma  said  I  was 
a  fretful,  naughty  child.  Did  Johnny  ever  have 
the  measles  ?  or  is  that  pain  in  the  back  not 
such  a  cross  one  ? " 

"  Bless  me,  child,  it's  a  deal  worse  !  Just  sup 
pose  you  could  never  run  about,  or  even  sit  up, 
some  days,  and  your  shoulders  all  crooked  — " 

"Bridget,  darling,"  interrupted  a  frightened 
voice,  "  couldn't  you  tell  me  the  way  ?  /  want 


28  META    WALLACE,  OR 

to  be  good,  like  Johnny,  but  I  don't  know  how. 
Couldn't  7  dream  about  angels  and  crowns,  too, 
if  I  tried?" 

"  Nay,  Meta ;  if  you  want  to  be  like  my 
Johnny,  you  must  never  do  anything  wrong — " 

"  But  how  can  I,  if  I  don't  know  how?" 

"  Oh,  it's  try  you  must !  Never  do  you  fly  in 
a  passion  with  Mrs.  Walker,  as  a  beginning, 
darlint ;  and  when  we  go  to  New  York,  sure 
it's  ask  Johnny  we  will,  and  I  doubt  but  he'll 
tell  you  better  nor  me.  But  let's  be  'off  to 
the  house.  Catherine  is  home  by  this,  and 
we'll  come  in  for  a  wee  bit  scolding  if  we  are 
late  for  tea." 

Meta  had  no  time  for  further  questioning,  as 
the  faint  tinkling  of  a  far-off  bell  warned  Bridget 
that  Mrs.  Walker  was  awaiting  them ;  so  she 
hurried  her  steps  to  keep  up  with  the  nurse. 
There  was  a  newly-learned  gravity  on  the  child 
ish  face  as  they  walked  to  the  house,  and  she 
was  very  silent.  She  was  thinking  of  the  poor, 
helpless  boy,  and  his  dreams  about  angels ;  and, 
instinctively,  her  eyes  turned  to  the  little, 
twinkling  summer  stars  coming  out  in  the  sky. 
Wondering  thoughts  of  heaven,  and  the  little 
brothers  and  sister  she  had  seen  in  death,  came 
through  her  mind.  She  had  been  told,  in  an 
swer  to  her  eager  questions,  that  the  little  ones 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  2Q 

were  in  heaven ;  but  heaven  seemed  far  off, 
and  filled  her  with  awe  and  fear.  Now  a  new 
phase  of  spiritual  life  was  presented  to  her,  and 
she  learned,  for  the  first  time,  that  the  better 
land,  about  which  her  ideas  were  so  vague  and 
uncomfortable,  was  really  a  home  to  be  yearned 
for  —  a  hope  of  entering  its  joys  sufficient  to 
soothe  the  pains  of  mortality. 

Surely  God's  Holy  Spirit  was  watching  ten 
derly  over  her  young  soul,  fostering  the  feeble 
germ  of  new  life,  that  brought  so  deep  a  yearn 
ing  for  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil  that 
would  enable  her  to  guide  her  steps  to  the  gates 
of  the  Golden  City.  She  pondered  Bridget's 
story  in  her  heart,  with  an  intense  desire  to  be 
good  enough  to  be  folded  in  the  loving  arms  of 
the  Saviour,  whose  tenderness  for  little  children 
had  only  been  imperfectly  understood.  It  did 
not  seem  strange  to  Meta  that  men  and  women 
should  be  good  and  brave;  that,  she  thought, 
came  with  grovtth  and  years.  But  that  a  mere 
boy  should  be  taught,  in  sickness  and  pain,  so 
to  stifle  his  natural  weakness  as  to  find  comfort 
in  affliction,  was  a  question  of  deep  and  myste 
rious  significance  to  her  mind.  Shadows  of  her 
future  struggles  with  self  may  have  drifted 
across  her  child-life  when  she  found  her  rebell 
ious  spirit  so  difficult  to  quell,  but  this  was  all. 


3O  At  ETA    WALLACE. 

The  fact  that  she  must  die  was  one  seldom  pre 
sented  for  her  thoughts.  She  had  never  been 
told  that  the  rich  man's  wealth  "  cometh  up  like 
a  flower,  and  is  cut  down,"  nor  that  human  life 
"  fleeth  as  a  shadow,  and  continueth  not."  Her 
tender  conscience,  with  its  impulse  to  good  and 
its  warfare  with  evil,  was  left  without  guidance 
from  those  who  should  have  helped  the  waver 
ing  desires ;  yet  Meta  was  not  alone.  There  is 
One  who  leaveth  the  ninety-nine  in  the  wilder 
ness  to  seek  the  one  lost  sheep ;  who  numbers 
the  very  hairs  of  our  heads ;  and,  when  father 
and  mother  forsake,  takes  us  under  the  shadow 
of  his  wing.  And  though  this  promise  is  sel 
dom  realized,  inasmuch  as  parental  love  more 
often  maketh  idols  of  its  own,  yet  there  are 
times  when  the  soul  starves,  while  the  body  is 
delicately  nurtured  ;  and  then  it  is  that  there  is 
stretched  forth  to  shield  us  from  destruction 
that  Hand,  "mighty  to  save"  the  vessels  ap 
pointed  .  unto  honor.  Meta  had  one  Friend 
whose  power  held  the  universe  in  the  hollow  of 
his  hand.  Surely  she  was  not  left  comfort 
less. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

HE  day  following  her  walk  with  Bridget 
was  one  of  great  perplexity  to  Meta. 
Very  disagreeable  visions  of  that  paper 
torn  in  half  and  thrust  into  the  empty  pigeon 
hole  of  her  father's  desk  flitted  through  her 
brain.  She  was  not  used  to  take  her  mischiev 
ous  escapades  so  seriously  to  heart ;  but  John 
ny's  wonderful  story  had  set  her  to  thinking, 
and  had  aroused  fears  of  her  last  piece  of 
naughtiness,  which  she  had  forgotten  in  the 
excitement  of  her  walk.  After  a  few  hours'  un 
comfortable  reflection,  she  resolved  upon  taking 
a  second  look  at  the  paper,  to  see  if  there  was 
any  reason  why  she  should  be  so  worried  about 
the  matter.  It  had  always  been  a  sure  cause  of 
punishment  for  the  children  to  go  into  the 
library  at  all,  and  Meta's  state  of  mind  was  not 

(30 


32  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

improved  by  the  reflection  that  she  was  com 
mitting  still  another  fault  by  entering  the  for 
bidden  apartment  again ;  but  her  anxiety  gave 
her  little  time  for  thought,  and  it  was  with 
something  like  desperation  that  she  took  the 
library  key  from  the  basket  when  chance  put 
it  in  her  way.  Mrs.  Walker  was  out-of-doors 
somewhere,  Bridget  busy  up-stairs,  and  there 
was  no  one  to  interfere  with  her  movements; 
yet  Meta  felt  very  guilty  as  she  ran  along  the 
passage,  noiselessly  opened  the  door  as  quickly 
as  trembling  fingers  would  admit,  and  was  soon 
inside,  with  the  door  securely  locked.  Once 
safely  in  the  dim-lighted  room,  she  drew  a  sigh 
of  relief,  and  hastily  scrambled  upon  the  desk, 
rummaged  in  the  pigeon-hole  for  the  scraps,  and 
drew  forth  the  torn  paper.  It  had  lain  in  a  pool 
of  ink,  and  was  so  blotted  and  blurred  that, 
even  after  piecing  it,  Meta  found  it  unintelligi 
ble,  except  a  name  at  the  bottom,  "  Joseph 
Ascher."  Still  gazing  at  the  blots,  in  perplex 
ity,  she  was  roused  by  a  sudden  and  violent 
knocking  at  the  door,  as  Mrs.  Walker's  voice 
reached  her  guilty  ears,  in  angry  orders  to  let 
her  in  at  once.  Meta  had  entirely  forgotten  a 
window  opening  on  the  piazza,  at  which  Mrs. 
Walker  had  been  standing,  and  had  witnessed 
her  entire  proceedings  in  the  library.  Not 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  33 

daring  to  disobey  the  housekeeper's  command, 
yet  not  being  entirely  satisfied  that  it  was  best 
to  confess,  Meta  rolled  the  torn  paper  in  as 
small  a  compass  as  possible ;  and,  thrusting  it 
into  her  mouth,  took  courage  to  unlock  the  door, 
with  a  sinking  heart.  Mrs.  Walker  viewed  the 
culprit  angrily. 

"This  comes  of  not  punishing  you  yester 
day,"  she  said,  severely.  "Now  tell  me  just 
what  you  have  been  doing  at  that  desk,  and 
don't  think  to  put  me  off  with  any  nonsense 
about  your  Kittys,  and  foolishness.  Out  with 
it,  miss." 

But  Meta  did  not  —  indeed  she  could  not  — 
answer.  Her  mouth  was  so  stuffed  with  paper 
that  a  reply  would  have  been  impossible  with 
out  betraying  herself ;  and  she  resolutely  shut 
her  teeth  firmly  on  the  piece,  and  kept  silent, 
thereby  adding  to  Mrs.  Walker's  wrath. 

"Obstinate  thing!"  she  said,  angrily,  catching 
the  child's  chin  in  no  tender  hand;  "tell  me, 
this  instant,  or  I'll  put  you  in  the  garret  for  the 
rest  of  this  blessed  day." 

Meta  inwardly  winced,  but  she  gave  no  sign 
of  being  moved ;  and  even  when  Bridget  was 
summoned  to  exorcise  the  dumb  spirit,  she  met 
the  sad,  reproachful  eyes  of  her  favorite  without 
quailing.  Mrs.  Walker  having  tried  her  powers 


34  META    WALLACE,  OR 

of  restoring  the  gift  of  speech,  and  the  nurse 
her  utmost  persuasions,  Meta  was  unceremoni 
ously  lifted  in  the  Irishwoman's  sturdy  arms, 
and  carried  to  the  housekeeper's  room  as  a 
hopeless  case  for  the  present.  As  the  good- 
natured  woman  went  down  the  passage  with 
her  burden,  a  peculiar  sound  in  Meta's  throat 
arrested  her  steps. 

"  It's  choking  she  is,  I  believe,  ma'am." 

But  no,  Meta  was  not  choking.  She  was 
chewing,  with  all  the  sharpness  of  her  young 
teeth,  on  the  thin  paper,  now  reduced  to  a  pulpy 
mass ;  and  when  Mrs.  Walker's  room  was 
reached,  she  had  resolved  an  end  to  her  di 
lemma  by  swallowing  the  whole. 

"  You've  got  something  in  your  mouth,  you 
naughty  girl ! "  cried  the  puzzled  housekeeper. 

Meta  shook  her  head  resolutely,  but  Bridget 
looked  sorrowfully  incredulous. 

"  Oh,"  thought  Meta,  beginning  to  cry,  "  she 
doesn't  know  I  swallowed  it !  This  isn't  being 
a  bit  like  Johnny,  and  Bridget  thinks  I've  told 
a  story." 

Bridget,  observing  the  tears  in  her  favorite's 
eyes,  braved  Mrs.  Walker's  anger,  and  drew  the 
sunny  head,  "  running  over  with  curls,"  to  her 
breast,  while  the  housekeeper,  thoroughly  tired 
of  the  child's  obstinate  temper,  left  the  room  in 
disgust. 


THE   SEEN  AND   UNSEEN. 


35 


"  You  think  I  told  Walker  a  story,  I  know 
you  do,"  cried  Meta,  anxiously. 

Bridget  nodded  her  head  sadly. 

"Indeed,  indeed,  I  didn't!"  sobbed  the  child, 
brokenly.  "  I  did  have  something  in  my  mouth, 
but  when  she  asked  me  I  had  swallowed  it. 
O  do,  please,  believe  me !  " 

"  Swallowed  it  ?     Is  it  daft  ye  are,  child  ? " 

"  No,  I  am  not  daft,"  sobbing  violently ;  "  I 
was  so  frightened,  and  Walker  looked  so  cross ! 
Oh,  what  shall  I  do  ?  Johnny  will  never  love 
poor  me." 

Leaning  back  in  the  nurse's  arms,  Meta  in 
dulged  in  an  hysterical  passion  of  tears ;  but 
though  Bridget  tried  argument  and  entreaty, 
she  could  not  be  prevailed  on  to  tell  what  it 
was  she  had  swallowed,  nor  why  she  was  so 
frightened. 

Meta's  heart  was  so  wholly  undisciplined  that 
she  fancied,  by  destroying  all  trace  of  her  acci 
dental  piece  of  careless  mischief,  she  would  rem 
edy  the  mischief  itself ;  but  her  reasoning  was 
very  shallow  —  no  right  thing  can  comq  of  two 
wrongs. 


CHAPTER   V. 

§RS.  WALKER'S  resolution  to  force 
a  confession  of  the  mysterious  naughti 
ness  from  Meta  was  never  carried  into 
effect.  The  day  after  the  scene,  while  her 
charge  was  still  in  disgrace,  a  letter  was  re 
ceived  from  Mrs.  Wallace,  announcing  their 
return  within  a  few  days,  and  containing  direc 
tions  for  the  Bellevue  household  to  hold  them 
selves  in  readiness  to  return  to  the  city  as  soon 
as  possible  after  the  arrival  of  the  party  from 
Long  Branch.  In  the  bustle  that  ensued,  all 
thought  of  present  punishment  was  lost  sight 
of,  and  Meta  was  released  from  custody  in  the 
housekeeper's  room,  as  both  Mrs.  Walker  and 
Bridget  were  extremely  busy. 

A  few  days  after  Mrs.  Wallace's  letter,  the 
travelers  returned.      When  the   carriage   drew 
(36) 


THE  SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  37 

up  before  the  door,  Meta  rushed  out  to  greet 
her  mamma  with  her  usual  impetuosity ;  but 
Mrs.  Wallace  was  tired  and  fretful,  having  lost 
a  package  on  the  cars,  through  her  maid's  care 
lessness;  and  her  little  daughter's  vehement  em 
braces  were  not  very  cordially  received. 

"You  are  as  wild  as  a  gypsy,"  said  the  mother, 
fretfully,  as  she  kissed  her  rosy  cheek;  "and 
just  as  brown  as  a  berry,  I  declare !  There, 
child,  don't  tumble  my  dress  out  of  all  shape! 
Run  along  with  Florry,  and  try  to  curb  your 
wild  spirits.  I  protest,  Mr.  Wallace,"  turning 
to  her  husband,  "  this  child  has  the  most  unac 
countably  plebeian  manners.  I  shall  have  to 
turn  her  over  to  Fe"licie,  when  we  get  back  to 
the  city.  I  can't  conceive  from  whom  she  in 
herits  her  lack  of  style  —  certainly  not  from 
me  !" 

"  Humph ! "  said  Mr.  Wallace.  He  seldom 
said  more  on  such  occasions. 

"  How  do  you  do,  Felicie  ? "  said  Meta,  turn 
ing  off,  subdued  out  of  her  warmth,  and  address 
ing  the  French  maid,  who  condescendingly  held 
out  her  hand.  The  child  was  abashed  and  crest 
fallen  ;  but  the  sight  of  Florry,  emerging  from 
a  pile  of  shawls,  satchels,  and  books  on  the 
carriage-seat,  made  her  forget  her  mamma's 
rebukes.  There  was  no  thought  of  "style" 


38  META    WALLACE,  OR 

as  she  rushed  at  her  sister,  and  bestowed  on 
that  elegant  young  creature  a  profound  hug  of 
delight. 

Florry  was  indeed  a  lovely  sight  as  she  extri 
cated  herself  and  her  flounces  from  Meta's 
arms.  Her  cheeks,  slightly  flushed  from  trav 
eling,  and  her  beautiful  eyes,  lighted  up  with 
something  like  pleasure  at  the  prospect  of  tell 
ing  the  wonders  of  her  summer  tour  to  a  little 
ignoramus,  made  the  usually  too  languid  face 
very  bewitching.  She  was  not  guilty  of  unfash 
ionable  emotion  as  she  held  out  the  tips  of  her 
fingers  to  be  assisted  up  the  steps  by  the  eager 
little  sister.  Florry  was  fully  alive  to  the  dig 
nity  of  having  been  to  several  summer  resorts, 
while  Meta  had  spent  her  time  with  the  cows 
and  poultry  of  Bellevue ;  yet  she  was  glad,  after 
all,  to  be  at  home ;  for,  though  Mrs.  Wallace 
took  little  notice  of  the  fact,  her  beautiful 
daughter  was  not  over-strong,  and  the  exquis 
ite  coloring  of  her  pretty  cheek  boded  no  good. 
Riding  in  the  cars  always  tired  Florry ;  and 
running,  like  other  children  of  her  age,  made 
her  short-breathed ;  yet  the  delicate  frame  was 
seldom  allowed  to  rest. 

"  Oh,  you  darling  old  Florry ! "  cried  Meta,  im 
pulsively  ;  "  you  are  beautifuller  than  ever ! " 

Florence    smiled    complacently,   and    comic 


THE   SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  39 

scended  to  dismount  from  the  very  "  high 
horse "  she  was  riding.  Bellevue  was  noth 
ing  but*  home  and  "  country,"  and  there  was 
no  necessity  of  being  civilly  cool  to  Meta,  for 
she  did  not  comprehend  such  airs.  Besides, 
Florry  dearly  loved  to  talk ;  and  unless  she  ac 
cepted  her  sister  as  auditor  of  the  wonders  she 
had  seen,  she  must  needs  exercise  great  self- 
control,  and  keep  her  news  for  the  city  girls. 
To  keep  silence  was  a  physical  impossibility  to 
Florence  at  all  times ;  and  besides,  Meta's  famil 
iarity  was  infectious  and  irresistible ;  so  the  two 
girls  were  soon  sitting  at  the  nursery  fire,  chat 
ting  very  merrily,  while  Bridget  busied  herself 
in  putting  aside  Florry's  wrappings,  under  that 
young  lady's  directions. 

"  Well,  Meta,"  said  Florry,  after  a  pause,  pat 
ting  her  sister's  curly  head,  patronizingly,  "  there 
isn't  a  particle  of  use  in  trying  to  tell  you  all 
the  delightful  things  I  saw,  for  you  couldn't  be 
gin  to  understand — " 

"Oh,  just  try  me,  Florry,  dear;  I  think  I 
could,  if  you  would  only  try  me ! " 

"  The  idea  of  your  knowing  anything  about 
tableaux  vivants  /"  said  Florry,  giving  the  pro 
nunciation  of  her  mamma's  maid. 

"  I  dorit  know  exactly  what  they  mean," 
sighed  Meta,  dubiously ;  "  but  I  know  I  could 


4O  META    WALLACE,  OR 

understand  if  you  would  only  try  me,  dear  old 
Florry.  Is  it  a  dress,  or  some  kind  of  candy, 
sister?" 

"  Much  good  it  does  you  to  learn  French," 
said  Florence,  contemptuously  ;  "  why,  you  little 
goose,  it's  just  like  the  theater,  only  you  never 
went  there." 

"Just  spell  it,  Florry;  you  know  I  can't  pro 
nounce  like  you  do,"  pleaded  Meta. 

And  so  Florry  spelled  the  word,  loftily,  and 
her  little  sister  said  "  Oh  ! "  in  a  relieved  voice; 
and  the  difficult  matter  being  satisfactorily  set 
tled,  the  description  of  the  wonderful  tableaux 
went  on. 

"  Just  think,  child,  of  my  standing  for  five 
whole  minutes  on  one  foot;  and  I  didn't  move 
a  muscle,  either,"  cried  Florence,  triumphantly. 

"  It  must  have  been  awfully  tiresome,"  said 
the  practical  Meta,  drawing  a  long  breath. 

"  So  it  was ;  but  that  was  the  beauty  of  it, 
you  see.  I  heard  Mrs.  Clarendon  tell  mamma 
that.  I  showed  great  presence  of  mind  when  one 
of  the  candles  fell  at  my  feet,  and  I  did  not 
stir." 

"  Presence  of  mind  ?"  asked  Bridget,  who  had 
been  listening ;  "  sure,  then,  I  think  it  showed 
the  absence  of  it,  my  deary,  for  you  to  stand  on 
one  le£  to  be  stared  at  like  that." 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  41 

"  I  wonder  what  you  know  about  tableaux ! 
said  Florry,  scornfully. 

"  Oh,  plenty,  plenty,"  cried  Bridget,  tossing 
her  head. 

Florence  was  no  favorite  of  hers ;  and,  being 
always  pert  to  the  servants,  often  exposed  her 
self  to  the  ready  Irish  wit,  which  she  found  it 
hard  to  match.  But  Meta  was  too  eager  to 
hear  more  to  surfer  the  dispute  to  go  on ;  and 
she  successfully  interfered,  drawing  out  all 
Florry  had  to  relate,  and  spending  such  a  de 
lightful  evening  that  she  gave  no  thought  to 
the  fact  of  her  recent  disgrace  and  trouble. 

The  few  days  of  their  stay  at  Bellevue  passed 
very  swiftly.  Florence  was  extremely  agreea 
ble,  and  even  took  pleasure  in  Meta's  country 
walks ;  though  she  refused  to  take  a  farewell 
view  of  the  cows,  and  Meta  was  forced  to  make 
her  adieux  with  Bridget.  Mrs.  Walker  was  too 
much  engaged  to  report  the  little  girl's  naughti 
ness,  and  Mrs.  Wallace  was  so  unusually  genial 
and  affectionate  that  her  charge  never  gave  the 
matter  a  thought.  Mrs.  Wallace,  finding  the 
supposed  missing  package  was  among  the  nu 
merous  wraps,  and  had  been  only  left  at  the 
station,  recovered  her  good  humor,  and  talked 
over  with  Florry  the  many  pleasant  scenes  of 
the  past  summer,  much  to  the  delight  of  the 


42  META    WALLACE,  OK 

little  one  who  had  been  left  to  Mrs.  Walker's 
-  tender  mercies  so  long.  It  was  scarcely  a  won 
der  that,  under  such  circumstances,  her  yearn 
ings  to  learn  Johnny's  secret  of  happiness,  and 
the  undefined  desires  to  be  good,  should  have 
faded  into  the  background.  I  doubt  if  poor 
Meta  would  have  thought  about  Johnny  at  all, 
during  those  few  days,  but  for  a  desire  to  show 
Florry  that,  if  she  had  been  at  home  all  sum 
mer,  she  had  something  more  wonderful  than 
even  tableaux  to  talk  about.  But  she  did  not 
find  the  subject  very  interesting  to  her  sister 
when  she  broached  it  on  the  cars. 

"Angels,  and  crooked  backs,  and  small-pox 
hospitals,  indeed!"  cried  Florry,  elevating  her 
nose.  "Do  you  really  flatter  yourself  mamma 
is  ever  going  to  let  you  cultivate  all  the  paupers 
in  town  ? " 

"But,  Florry,  he  knows  a  heap  more  than 
either  of  us,  and  he  is  so  good.  Then  you 
know,  sis,  he  is  Bridget's  brother;  and  I  believe 
he  could  tell  you  about  all  sorts  of  beautiful 
things  you  never  saw.  Do  you  hear  what  I 
say  ? " 

Meta  was  screaming  it  out  in  order  that 
Florry's  ears  might  be  reached  above  the  din 
of  the  cars;  and  as  the  train  reached  a  station 
before  her  sentence  was  concluded,  she  was 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  43 

considerably  abashed  to  hear  her  own  voice 
raised  to  such  a  pitch,  and  to  observe  the  smil 
ing  faces  of  those  in  her  vicinity,  who  had  been 
amused  at  her  earnestness. 

"  See  what  you've  done,  now,"  said  Florry, 
contemptuously;  while  her  mamma,  with  an 
aristocratic  horror  of  seeing  anything  belonging 
to  her  the  subject  of  jest,  called  Meta  over  to 
Bridget's  seat,  and  so  the  discussion  ended. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


SHORT  time  after 
comfortably  settled 
street,  Meta  rushed 


the  family  were 
in  Thirty-fifth 
into  her  moth 


er's  dressing-room,  one  sunny  afternoon,  in  a 
state  of  intense  excitement.  Mrs.  Wallace  and 
Florry  were  dressed  for  a  ride  in  the  Park,  and 
were  only  awaiting  a  few  last  touches  from  Fe- 
licie  to  start. 

"  Mamma,  mamma,  may  I  go  with  Bridget  to 
see  Johnny  ?  "  was  the  child's  eager  greeting  ; 
"  she  says  she  has  time,  and  we  will  be  sure  to 
get  back  for  tea  in  Mrs.  Walker's  room.  Oh, 
do  say  yes ! " 

The  bright,  earnest  face,  glowing  with  an 
ticipated  pleasure,  smote  the  mother's  heart 
strangely ;  and  she  made  room  for  the  child  on 
her  lounge,  looking  kindly  into  her  beaming 

(44) 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  45 

eyes,  and  smoothing  the  rings  of  shining  hair 
on  the  white  brow. 

"And  who  is  Johnny,  first,  my  little  girl,"  she 
asked,  with  interest. 

"  Only  Bridget's  little  sick  brother,"  she  an 
swered,  eagerly ;  "  a  poor  little  boy,  that  can't 
straighten  his  back,  and  dreams  about  angels, 
and  never  cries  — " 

"  Not  so  fast,  Meta.  Tell  me  first  where 
your  paragon  lives,  before  you  describe  his  per 
fections.  Not  in  a  dirty  alley,  I  hope,  where 
you'll  go  and  catch  some  dreadful  disease?" 

"  Why,  no,  mamma ;  it's  in  a  nice,  clean  hos 
pital,  where  a  good  nurse  takes  care  of  him; 
and  Bridget  says  — " 

"Bridget  has  no  business  to  be  filling  your 
head  with  such  ideas.  Don't  you  know  that 
people  have  small-pox,  and  cholera,  and  all  sorts 
of  things  in  those  nice,  clean  hospitals  ?  " 

"  You  see,  Meta,"  interposed  Florry,  be 
nignly,  as  she  fastened  her  glove,  "  I  told  you 
mamma  would  object.  Fancy  Bridget's  brother, 
mamma,  knowing  the  most  wonderful  things 
about  angels,  and  teaching  people  to  get 
straight  to  heaven.  Wasn't  that  what  you 
said,  Meta?  Or  was  it  only  crooked  backs — " 

Florry  had  not  been  so  cruel  since  her  re 
turn;  and  Meta,  disappointed  and  angry,  burst 
into  tears  in  the  midst  of  her  sister's  sentence. 


46  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

"  Go  and  tell  Bridget  I  wish  to  speak  to  her, 
Fe"licie,"  said  Mrs.  Wallace,  rather  provoked 
with  both  of  the  girls.  "  Dry  your  eyes,  Meta, 
and  try  not  to  be  such  a  baby.  And  do  you, 
Florence,  recollect  that  your  sister  is  not  to  be 
maliciously  teased." 

Florry  looked  up  in  amazement,  saying, 
"  Really,  mamma ! "  with  the  air  of  an  empress ; 
and  Meta  actually  ceased  crying,  to  seek  in  her 
mother's  face  some  explanation  of  her  unwonted 
judgment  against  the  spoiled  darling  of  the 
house.  But  Mrs.  Wallace  was  gazing  absently 
at  the  fire,  and  said  nothing  more,  nor  was 
there  anything  to  be  read  in  her  abstracted 
countenance ;  yet  the  mother  was  thinking, 
more  moved  than  she  cared  to  admit  to  her 
self,  by  an  indescribable  reproach  she  had  fan 
cied  in  her  child's  earnest  face. 

Bridget's  entrance  roused  the  party.  Mrs. 
Wallace  diligently  cross-questioned  the  nurse, 
but  found  nothing  reprehensible  in  the  simple 
story  of  sickness  and  want  that  was  told  in  a 
few  words.  After  a  moment's  reflection  she 
gave  the  permission  that  Meta  longed  to  hear, 
and,  merely  cautioning  Bridget  not  to  instruct 
the  little  girl  in  Methodistical  views,  she  dis 
missed  them. 

"  Remember  that  I  shall  hold  you  accounta- 


THE  SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  47 

ble  for  any  further  eccentricity  in  Meta,"  she 
said,  severely ;  "  the  child  is  puzzling  enough 
now,  and  I  don't  wish  her  peculiarities  fostered. 
And  now  go.  Take  this  money,"  slipping  in 
Bridget's  hand  two  pieces  of  silver,  "  and  buy 
some  oranges  and  candy  for  the  sick  boy.  I 
dare  say  he  will  enjoy  them." 

Meta  and  Bridget  poured  forth  rapturous 
thanks  as  they  left  the  dressing-room,  and,  after 
a  hasty  toilet,  hurried  to  a  favorite  confection 
er's,  where  the  dollar  was  soon  laid  out  in  a 
tempting  parcel  of  fruit  and  sweets.  Bridget 
was  more  tender  than  wise. 

On  the  way  down  the  avenue  Meta  stopped 
to  listen  to  the  strains  of  a  hand-organ,  whose 
owner  was  grinding  away  at  the  instrument, 
casting  appealing  looks  at  the  passers-by ;  but 
no  one  gave  heed  to  his  music.  A  miserable 
little  girl,  holding  out  a  tambourine  in  a  pair  of 
very  dirty  hands,  and  a  queer  little  monkey, 
winking  his  eyes,  and  hopping  about  in  a  red- 
flannel  suit,  completed  the  scene. 

Bridget  would  have  instantly  hailed  a  street 
car,  for  she  distrusted  all  "  Italianers,"  as  she 
called  them,  and  had  often  paid  the  organ  men 
to  remove  their  cracked  instruments  from  MrsP 
Wallace's  door;  but  Meta  was  struck  with  the 
poor  little  face,  so  old  beyond  its  years,  and 


48  META    WALLACE,  OK 

looked  pityingly  at  the  bare  feet  and  scanty 
covering. 

"  Please,  dear  Bridget,  stop  one  minute !  Let 
me  see  if  I  haven't  a  penny  !  "  And  she  hastily 
stuck  her  fat,  gloved  hand  in  the  pretty  white 
muff.  But,  no,  the  silver  porte-monnaie  was  at 
home ;  and  her  face  grew  very  long. 

"  Oh,"  she  said,  sighing  dolefully,  "  what  shall 
I  -do  ?  My  money  is  every  bit  at  home." 

"  Do  ?  Why,  come  along  with  me  to  see 
Johnny.  We've  missed  two  cars  already,  along 
of  standing  here  with  them  dirty  Italianers. 
Don't  I  know  them  all  ?  Besides,  your  purse 
isn't  so  very  full.  Don't  you  know  you  spent 
all  this  month's  allowance  for  the  big  doll  at 
Agneau's  ? " 

Bridget  was  impatient  at  delay,  and  was  not 
disposed  to  assist  Meta's  benevolence. 

"  No,  Bridget,"  said  the  child,  slowly,  "  I 
haven't  bought  the  doll  yet,  though  I  did  want 
to  ever  so  much.  It  is  mighty  pretty  —  " 

"  Please,  little  lady,  just  a  penny,"  interrupted 
the  tambourine  girl,  comprehending  the  scene ; 
"  just  a  penny  for  my  little  sick  brother." 

The  words  "  sick  brother  "  softened  Bridget's 
heart. 

"  I  haven't  any  change  with  me,"  she  said,  re 
gretfully,  after  giving  the  girl  a  keen  look  of 
scrutiny;  "I  wish  I  had  — "• 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  49 

"  Come  to-morrow  to  No.  —  East  Thirty-fifth 
street,"  said  Meta,  glibly,  as  she  seized  an 
orange  from  the  bundle  she  carried,  and  threw 
it  into  the  tambourine ;  "  I've  got  a  lot  of  six 
pences  in  my  purse  — " 

Here  Bridget  broke  up  the  parley  by  vigor 
ously  shaking  her  parasol  at  a  passing  car 
driver,  and  hurried  the  child  away.  She  did 
not  say  anything  for  some  time  after  they  were 
seated  in  the  car,  and  Meta  looked  up  timidly  in 
her  face. 

"  You're  not  mad,  dear  old  Bridget  ? " 

"No;  only  uneasy-like  in  my  mind.  What 
will  your  mamma  say  to  the  likes  of  this  ?" 

"  Why,  the  money  is  mine,  and  mamma  gives 
it  to  me  to  do  with  just  as  I  please.  I  do 
want  to  give  that  poor  little  girl  some  of  it, 
Bridget.  Did  you  see  her  bare  feet  and  ragged 
dress?" 

"  But  what  becomes  of  the  big  doll  ? " 

"  Oh,  I  can  do  without '  it  this  month,"  said 
Meta,  with  a  steady  voice,  though  her  counte 
nance  fell.  She  had  taken  a  daily  walk  to  Ag- 
neau's  ever  since  their  return  to  town,  in  order 
to  feast  her  eyes  on  the  wonderful  young  lady ; 
for  though  she  protested  she  was  tired  of  such 
playthings,  she  constantly  added  to  her  stock, 
and  possessed  a  large  number  of  dolls,  of  divers 
4 


5O  MET  A    WALLACE. 

shapes  and  sizes,  in  various  stages  of  mutila 
tion. 

"Oh,  if  that's  where  you  are,"  laughed 
Bridget,  "if  you  really  can  do  without  your 
big  baby,  why,  I  don't  suppose  your  mamma 
cares.  But  we'll  see  what  we  will  see." 

Now  this  was  a  favorite  expression  of  Bridg 
et's,  and  one  with  which  she  always  managed  to 
convey  a  sarcasm.  Meta  particularly  objected 
to  having  it  applied  to  her,  and  was  therefore 
silent  for  the  rest  of  the  ride;  especially  so, 
when  on  reflection  she  began  to  suspect  that 
her  porte-monnaie  was  not  so  full  as  she  sup 
posed.  An  indistinct  vision  of  treating  Florry 
to  a  charlotte  russe  just  the  day  before,  came 
before  her  mind  as  she  mentally  counted  her 
money,  and  it  was  a  very  sober  little  face  that 
looked  out  from  the  stylish  bonnet  as  they  got 
out  of  the  cars. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

HE  hospital  was  a  large,  handsome 
building,  very  pleasant  and  clean. 
Meta  followed  Bridget  up  the  long 
flights  of  stairs,  through  narrow  passages,  to 
the' pleasant  chamber  of  good  Mrs.  Hale,  where 
Johnny  generally  sat  in  his  invalid  chair,  when 
not  too  feeble  to  be  moved.  The  boy  looked  so 
bright  and  happy,  as  he  read  by  the  cheerful 
fire,  that  Meta  could  not  believe  he  was  sick, 
until  she  saw  how  thin  and  transparent  was  the 
hand  laid  in  her  chubby  fingers  when  Bridget 
presented  her  to  Johnny.  The  brother  and  sis 
ter  laughed  and  chatted  eagerly,  and  opened  the 
bundles  of  good  things;  but  Meta  could  not 
talk.  The  scene  .was  altogether  a  puzzle  to  her  ; 
it  was  strange,  she  thought,  to  see  a  boy  who 
dreamed  about  angels,  and  knew  the  way  to 

(50 


52  META    WALbACE,  OR 

heaven,  eating  candy  and  oranges  with  great 
apparent  relish,  and  talking  gayly  of  every-day 
things.  She  had  expected  to  find  a  very  grave, 
sad  personage  in  Johnny ;  and  his  smiling  face 
overthrew  all  her  ideas  of  one  who  was  not 
afraid  to  die,  nor  to  surfer.  Her  silence  was  so 
unusual,  and  her  expression  so  puzzled,  that 
Bridget  wisely  concluded  to  leave  her  to  make 
Johnny's  acquaintance  alone. 

Johnny  held  out  his  hand,  and  smiled,  as 
Bridget  closed  the  door. 

"  Stay  here  a  bit,"  she  said,  rising  to  leave 
the  room  ;  "  I  have  a  word  to  say  to  Mrs.  Hale, 
and  the  afternoon  is  waning.  Do  you,  Johnny, 
tell  the  bairn  all  about  your  feelin's.  It's  trying 
to  be  good  she  is." 

"  Come,  you,  and  tell  the  sick  boy  about  your 
nice  country  home,"  he  said,  kindly ;  "  Bridget 
says  it's  a  rare,  sweet  place." 

Meta  was  shy,  and  held  back  for  a  while; 
but  she  could  not  resist  Johnny's  cheerful,  so 
ciable  manners,  and  it  was  not  many  minutes 
before  she  was  giving  an  animated  account  of 
Bellevue.  In  enthusiastic  tones  she  described 
the  ducks  and  cows,  the  little  purling  streams, 
and  the  spring  at  the  foot  of  a  hill,  where  she 
and  Bridget  had  spent  so  many  happy  after 
noons,  and  where  she  had  waded. in  among  the 
shining  pebbles  in  her  bare  feet. 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  53 

"  The  water  was  so  cool  and  so  clear  that  you 
could  see  my  feet  through.  They  looked  very 
funny  and  broad.  Do  you  like  the  country, 
Johnny  ? " 

"  I  lived  in  it  in  the  auld  country,"  he  sighed ; 
"only  my  home  was  by  the  great  sea,  Meta, 
where  I  could  hear  the  waves  moaning  and 
splashing  on  the  shore.  There  were  beautiful 
shells  and  sea-weed  that  my  mother  gave  me  for 
playthings,  and  I  had  my  flowers,  and  a  bonny 
bird.  But  I  never  went  in  the  brooks,  for  I  was 
always  sick,  and  lay  on  my  little  cot  by  the  win 
dow  ail  day." 

"Poor  Johnny!  I  feel  very  sorry  for  you,  in 
deed  I  do ! "  cried  Meta,  laying  her  dimpled 
hand  on  his  poor,  thin  fingers. 

"  Yes,"  said  Johnny,  "  I  used  to  think  it  was 
hard-like  for  me  never  to  run  about  like  other 
childer,  and  fly  my  kites  with  the  rest ;  but  I 
see  now  how  blessed  I  am  in  my  helpless  way, 
and  I  don't  desire  to  be  changed." 

"  Did  you  ever  cry,  Johnny,  when  you  had  so 
much  pain  ?  " 

"  Ah,  that  did  I !  When  my  back  was  so  bad, 
and  it  was  all  so  weak  with  me,  indade  I  spent 
many  a  day  fretting  and  crying.  But  now  I 
think  of  the  man  with  the  withered  hand,  and 
comfort  me  with  the  hope  of  a  new,  whole  body, 


54  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

that  will  wash  in  the  crystal  waters.  Did  you 
ever  hear  of  Bethesda,  deary  ? " 

Meta  shook  her  head. 

"  I  suppose  I  must,  if  it's  in  the  Bible  ;  but  I 
forget  those  big  names.  It's  very  wicked,  isn't 
it  ?  "  she  asked,  anxiously. 

"  Nay,  not  wicked,"  answered  the  boy,  smiling 
at  her  earnestness ;  "  it  hasn't  been  brought 
home  to  you,  like,  I  suppose." 

Meta  nodded. 

"  Ah,  well,  you  see,  it's  trouble  makes  us  look 
out  the  promises.  You  have  no  need  to  b<* 
readin*  about  the  helpless  and  maimed,  who 
were  made  '  every  whit  whole.'  The  dear  Lord 
said  something  about  '  they  that  be  whole  need 
not  a  physician.'  Do  ye  see  my  meaning  ? 
But  stop,  I'll  read  to  you." 

Stretching  out  his  hand,  he  took  a  small 
Bible  off  the  table  near,  and  opened  its  worn 
pages.  Not  that  text,  only,  but  one  after  an 
other  that  had  brought  him  so  much  comfort,  as 
they  most  applied  to  his  own  case,  were  read 
eagerly  to  the  absorbed  listener,  who  sat  with 
her  face  resting  in  her  hands,  gazing  wistfully 
in  Johnny's  glowing  countenance,  though  she 
only  imperfectly  understood  it  all. 

"  Do  you  see,  they. are  every  one  made  whole  ? 
The  halt,  the  blind,  the  lepers,  all  cleansed  > 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  55 

But  wait  till  I  read  ye  the  best  of  all  my  texts;" 
and,  turning  to  i  Cor.  xv,  the  boy  read  to  his 
astonished  little  friend  the  glorious  promises  of 
the  resurrection. 

"  Oh,  I  am  Waiting,"  he  cried,  clasping  his 
hands  in  an  ecstasy  of  fervor,  "  waiting  for  the 
mortal  to  put  on  immortality,  when  death  shall 
be  swallowed  up  in  victory ! "  The  boy  sank 
back  in  his  chair,  exhausted,  carried  out  of  his 
feeble  body  by  the  strength  of  those  longings 
that  had  enabled  him  so  safely  to  walk  through 
the  "  dark  valley "  in  which  he  would  be  only 
waiting  in  faith  a  little  while.  Meta,  awe-struck 
and  subdued,  could  not  express  in  words  all  the 
sympathy  she  felt  for  her  new  friend,  and  they 
were  both  silent. 

When  Bridget  returned  she  found  her  little 
friend  sitting  soberly  near  Johnny,  tears  hang 
ing  heavily  on  the  dark  lashes,  and  the  mouth 
quivering  with  the  grief  she  was  too  shy  to 
show.  Mrs.  Hale  patted  the  round  cheek  af 
fectionately,  and  tied  on  the  bonnet  over  her 
curls.  Bridget  had  not  spoken  since  her  en 
trance.  Going  to  Johnny,  she  hung  over  his 
chair  a  few  moments,  and  kissed  the  pale  fore 
head  ;  then,  taking  Meta's  hand,  she  was  prepar 
ing  to  leave. 

"Just  one  minute,"  whispered  Meta,  eagerly, 


56  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

running  to  the  boy  and  leaning  her  rosy  face 
near  to  his  own. 

"  I'm  coming  again,  dear  Johnny,"  she  said  in 
his  ear ;  "  I  do  so  want  to  hear  you  read,  and 
have  you  tell  me  about  those  beautiful  things ; 
for  oh,  I  am  trying  to  learn  how  to  be  good  !  " 

Then  she  hurriedly  shook  hands  with  Mrs. 
Hale,  and  followed  Bridget  down  stairs,  out  into 
the  crowded  streets,  where  the  sights  and 
sounds  of  busy  life  seemed  in  mocking  con 
trast  to  the  peaceful  chamber,  where  even  the 
child  instinctively  felt  a  human  soul  was  pre 
paring,  in  faith  and  love,  for  the  great  journey 
through  the  Valley  of  the  Shadow  of  Death. 

As  they  walked  along,  waiting  for  a  car,  Meta 
noticed  that  Bridget's  eyes  were  red  and  heavy. 

"  What's  the  matter  ? "  she  asked,  sadly,  press 
ing  the  woman's  hand  affectionately.  "Are 
you  crying  about  Johnny  ?  /  think  he  is  so 
good  and  happy ;  and  then,  he  doesn't  look  very 
sick,  only  thin." 

"  Ah,  but  I  saw  the  doctor,  darlint,"  returned 
Bridget,  trying  to  control  her  voice ;  "  and  he 
says  it's  not  for  long  the  beautiful  soul  will  be 
held  back.  Don't  my  own  eyes  tell  me  what  a 
sore  change  has  come  over  him  since  I  left  the 
city  ?  Sure,  he's  almost  got  his  wings,  already, 
has  Johnny.  Oh,  my  poor  boy !  " 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  57 

Bridget's  tears  could  no  longer  be  restrained, 
and,  to  Meta's  infinite  distress,  she  sobbed 
aloud.  Many  careless  passers-by  turned  to 
look  at  the  pair,  as  they  walked  along,  weep 
ing  together,  with  no  regard  to  the  world. 

"  Will  it  be  soon  ? "  asked  Meta,  in  an  awed 
tone. 

"  Ay  !  He's  winging  his  flight,  says  the  good 
doctor  —  winging  his  flight." 

Many  more  questions  Meta  longed  to  ask,  but 
her  friend  could  not  command  herself  to  speak  ; 
and  it  was  a  relief  to  both  when  they  stood  on 
the  porch  in  Thirty-fifth  street,  waiting  to  be 
admitted. 

Bridget  was  called  off  to  her  duties,  and  Meta 
to  her  mamma's  dressing-room,  as  soon  as  they 
returned.  Florry,  and  a  half-dozen  girls  of  her 
age,  were  playing  parlor  croquet ;  and,  notwith 
standing  Meta's  tear-stained  face,  she  found  her 
self  drawn  unwillingly  into  the  noisy  group.  It 
was  a  very  great  contrast  to  the  scene  she  had 
left ;  but,  though  subdued  and  thoughtful,  Meta 
was  too  much  of  a  child  to  resist  the  infection 
of  gayety,  and  was  not  proof  against  the  teasing 
endeavors  of  Florry's  friends  to  make  her  join 
their  game. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 


T  must  not  be  supposed  that  my  little 
heroine  became  a  Christian  in  one  day, 
for  this  was  by  no  means  the  case. 
Little  seeds  of  truth  were  sown  in  the  fair 
garden  of  her  soil ;  but  they  came  up  slowly, 
and  the  harvest  was  a  long  way  off.  Summer's 
heats  and  showers,  and  winter's  snows  and 
frosts,  were  yet  in  store.  Bad  habits  are  not 
overcome  in  a  day ;  nor  do  a  few,  or  even 
many,  good  impulses  create  a  new  heart. 
Sometimes  the  Holy  Spirit  works  slowly,  and 
almost  imperceptibly,  but  still  he  works ;  and 
we  must  not  look  for  glorious  conquests  over 
self,  nor  great  strides  towards  holiness,  unless 
we  have  patience  also  for  the  days  when  dead- 
ness  of  spirit  and  unruliness  of  heart  take  the 
place  of  the  longings,  which  are  given  us  as  well 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  59 

for  discipline  as  for  peace.  The  weakness  of 
human  nature  often  overthrows  our  best  de 
sires  ;  but  let  us  not  despair.  There  is  a 
blessed  promise  to  cheer  us  in  seasons  of  self- 
abasement  ;  and,  however  hard  it  is  to  water 
and  tend  the  good  seed  sown,  we  know  that  in 
"  due  time  we  shall  reap,  if  we  faint  not." 

As  time  passed  on,  Meta  found  it  very  diffi 
cult  to  carry  on,  in  New  York,  the  same  familiar 
intercourse  she  had  enjoyed  with  Bridget  at 
Bellevue.  Mrs.  Wallace,  once  alive  to  a  sense 
of  her  daughter's  peculiar  tastes,  felt  a  nervous 
fear  of  her  becoming  morbid  and  grave  beyond 
her  years ;  and,  suspecting  that  Bridget's  influ 
ence  tended  to  encourage  these  tastes,  she  grad 
ually  withdrew  Meta  from  her  association.  The 
Irishwoman  was  too  valuable  and  honest  to  be 
dismissed;  but  as  there  was  no  further  neces 
sity  of  a  constant  attendant  on  a  child  of  Meta's 
age,  she  managed  to  employ  Bridget  chiefly  in 
household  matters,  though  she  still  retained  the 
nominal  position  of  nurse. 

A  few  days  after  the  visit  to  Johnny,  as  Meta 
was  skipping  rope  on  the  pavement,  the  famil 
iar  sound  of  a  hand-organ,  a  few  doors  below, 
brought  to  her  recollection  the  directions  she 
had  given  the  tambourine  girl.  Meta  was  a 
heedless  child, 'and  afflicted  with  a  bad  mem- 


6O  META    WALLACE,  OK 

ory.  Her  visit  to  Johnny  had  entirely  eclipsed 
everything  that  had  taken  place  on  that  day; 
so  it  was  with  a  considerable  degree  of  reluc 
tance  that  she  skipped  along  the  pavement  to 
take  a  look  at  the  party.  Yes,  there  they  were : 
organ-grinder,  monkey,  and  tambourine  girl ; 
and  she  saw  at  once  that  the  latter  recognized 
her.  Without  waiting  for  their  nearer  ap 
proach,  Meta  threw  her  rope  down  on  the  pave 
ment,  ran  quickly  back  to  the  house,  up-stuirs 
to  her  bureau,  the  drawer  of  which  was  eagerly 
opened,  and  the  porte-monnaie  drawn  forth. 
But  the  silk-lined  compartments  were  empty. 

"  Oh,  dear !  "what  has  become  of  my  money  ?  " 
she  exclaimed  aloud ;  "  I  certainly  didn't  buy 
that  big  doll,  but  where  can  it  possibly  be  ? 
Let  me  see !  I  wonder  if  I  got  the  charlotte 
russe  that  day  ?  " 

Florence,  who  sat  curled  up  in  the  window- 
sill,  reading,  laughed  mockingly  at  her  conster 
nation. 

"  Well,  that  is  an  idea ! "  she  cried  out ; 
"  why,  Meta,  don't  you  really  know  what  you 
did  with  it?" 

"  No ! " 

"Then  I'll  tell  you,"  said  her  sister,  com 
posedly.  "  You  spent  it  right  before  my  eyes 
for  caramels  and  cream  chocolates." 


THE   SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  6 1 

"  Oh,  yes  !  "  sighed  Meta ;  "  I  had  forgotten 
all  about  it.  And  now  I  haven't  a  cent  to  give 
that  poor  child,  and  I  promised  her,  too  !  " 

"  I  comprehend,"  said  Florry,  who  liked  to 
use  big  words  ;  "  it's  that  horrid  organ-grinder's 
dirty  little  girl.  I  shall  ask  papa  to  stop  that 
nuisance.  So  you  promised  her,  did  you  ?  " 

"Yes,  Florry  ;  oh,  do  lend  me  a  shilling!" 

"  Going  in  debt  to  be  generous,  eh  ?  That's 
very  benevolent  and  praiseworthy.  You'd  bet 
ter  remember  your  promises  next  time.  /  can't 
lend  it,  for  I  want  to  treat  Nina  Appleton  to 
morrow  ;  besides,  you  might  '  forget '  to  pay  me 
back,  you  know." 

"  You  needn't  be  afraid,"  said  Meta,  angrily ; 
"  and  if  you  don't  want  to  lend  it,  I  don't  care. 
I  know  what  I'll  do,  see  if  I  don't." 

"  You'd  better  not  be  charitable  if  it  puts  you 
in  such  a  passion,"  sneered  Florry.  "What 
will  you  do,  Miss  Generosity  ?  Oh,  that  horri 
ble  organ ! "  she  cried,  breaking  off  suddenly  to 
stop  her  ears.  "  I  say,  man,"  raising  the  win 
dow,  and  scowling  down  on  the  two  below,  "  go 
away  from  this  house,  and  don't  come  back 
again ! "  She  threw  out  a  few  pennies  as 
she  spoke,  which  the  girl  joyfully  seized ;  and 
then,  closing  the  window,  she  'prepared  to  give 
Meta  the  benefit  of  her  advice  about  onran- 


62  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

grinders.  But,  to  her  amazement,  Meta  was  no 
where  visible. 

The  impulsive  child,  with  her  head  full  of  the 
recollection  of  those  bare,  red  feet  outside,  and 
overwhelmed  with  a  sense  of  her  forgotten 
promise,  had  gone  to  the  closet  while  Florry 
opened  the  window,  and  selected  at  hazard  one 
of  her  many  pairs  of  walking  shoes.  Without 
an  instant's  reflection  she  ran  out  on  the  pave 
ment,  and  was  pressing  the  pretty  kid  shoes  on 
the  grateful  and  amazed  girl,  when  the  nursery 
window  was  again  raised,  and  Florry's  head 
poked  out. 

"  Don't  take  those  shoes,"  she  cried,  angrily ; 
"  I  shall  go  right  off  to  mamma,  and  tell  her  to 
stop  you ! " 

The  Italian  looked  completely  puzzled,  and 
Meta  very  indignant,  when  a  new  figure  ap 
proached  the  group.  Mr.  Wallace,  seated  at 
the  drawing-room  window,  had  been  an  unseen 
observer  of  the  whole  affair,  and  was  much 
amused  at  his  little  daughter's  eagerness  in 
giving  away  the  pretty  shoes,  assuring  the  Ital 
ians  that  she  had  "oceans  of  them  up-stairs." 
As  soon,  however,  as  her  father  appeared,  she 
came  to  a  sudden  pause. 

"  Well,  my  dear-?"  asked  Mr.  Wallace,  inquir 
ingly. 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  63 

"  O  papa ! "  was  all  she  found  voice  to  say. 

Florence  had,  meanwhile,  rushed  out  on  the 
porch  to  stop  the  interview  and  give  the  organ- 
grinder  a  piece  of  her  mind ;  but,  seeing  her 
father  quietly  standing  at  the  man's  elbow,  she, 
too,  paused  for  an  instant.  But  she  could  not 
resist  telling  the  great  misdemeanor,  and  related 
it  very  glibly. 

"  She  promised  these  people  some  money, 
papa,  and  then  went  and  spent  all  she  had.  Do 
you  think,  because  I  wouldn't  lend  her  a  shilling, 
she  didn't  get  a  pair  of  her  best  balmoral  kids 
to  give  that  miserable  little  thing?" 

Mr.  Wallace,  with  a  severe  look,  put  a  sudden 
stop  to  Florry's  ready  speech,  and  turned  to 
Meta. 

"  What  have  you  to  say  for  yourself  ? "  he 
asked,  his  mouth  twitching  with  the  effort  to 
control  his  enjoyment  of  this  novel  entertain 
ment. 

"It's  just  as  Florry  says,"  she  answered,  rue 
fully  ;  "  but  I  did  feel  so  sorry  for  the  poor  cold 
feet,  and,  indeed,  I  have  ever  so  many  pairs  of 
shoes.  Don't  make  me  take  them  back,  please, 
papa ! " 

The  brown  eyes  looked  so  beseeching  that 
Mr.  Wallace  drew  out  his  pocket-book.  Taking 
the  shoes  from  the  girl,  and  handing  them  back 


64  MET  A    WALLACE. 

to  Meta,  whom  he  desired  to  await  him  in  the 
parlor,  he  bestowed  a  handful  of  change  on  the 
grateful  child,  and  asked  the  Italian  a  few  ques 
tions. 

The  sound  of  silver  money  in  the  tambourine 
produced  great  excitement  in  the  heart  of  the 
little  owner.  It  was  a  much  larger  sum  than 
was  needful  to  put  shoes  on  the  bare,  red  feet. 

Then  the  organ  was  carried  a  few  squares  off, 
at  Mr.  Wallace's  order,  and  only  the  faint  tones 
came  wafted  back.  Florence,  in  a  miff,  ran 
back  to  the  nursery,  and  Meta,  with  many  fore 
bodings,  sat  very  soberly  awaiting  her  father's 
entrance  in  the  drawing-room. 

For  almost  the  first  time  in  his  daughter's 
life-time,  Mr.  Wallace  was  brought  face  to  face 
with  her  inner  self.  Though  shy  at  first,  Meta 
soon  lost  the  awe  of  his  presence,  and  got  up  on 
his  knee  very  familiarly.  Before  the  interview 
was  over,  she  had  told  all  about  Johnny  and 
her  various  tastes,  opening  her  father's  eyes  to 
depths  of  child-life  beyond  his  ken,  and  making 
him  long  to  know  more  of  his  queer  little  daugh 
ter.  The  episode  of  the  shoes  was  leniently 
dealt  with,  though  she  was  gravely  informed  of 
the  dishonesty  of  giving  away  her  clothes  without 
mamma's  knowledge.  Meta  had  a  vague  idea 
that  it  was  not  strictly  just;  but  the  full  force  of 
her  father's  arguments  did  not  come  to  her  then. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

HE  visits  to  Johnny  were  still  carried 
on,  but  at  long  intervals.  Mrs.  Wal 
lace  nearly  always  contrived  to  keep 
the  two  apart ;  and  though  she  gave  Bridget 
time  to  visit,  and  even  sent  delicacies  to,  the 
sick  boy,  she  managed  to  keep  the  girl  very 
busy  in  Meta's  leisure.  Had  she  prohibited 
the  child's  going,  there  would  have  been  no 
stolen  interviews,  for  the  Irishwoman  never 
broke  a  promise ;  but,  like  Meta,  she  was  a 
novice  in  such  nice  distinctions  between  right 
and  wrong;  and  though  they  both  felt  that  Mrs. 
Wallace  did  not  approve  of  the  hospital,  they 
still  seized  every  opportunity  of  going,  since 
they  had  never  been  absolutely  forbidden. 

Johnny  now  suffered  constant  pain.     He  lay 
for  whole  days  in  one  position,  with  his    poor 
S  (65) 


66  META    WALLACE,  OR 

back  in  agony ;  but  his  courage  and  fortitude 
never  forsook  him. 

One  evening  Meta,  having  contrived  to  elude 
Florry's  vigilance  and  accompany  Bridget,  they 
found  the  little  sufferer  so  feeble  that  it  was 
easy  to  see  his  troubles  were  nearly  at  an  end. 
He  had  endured  incessant  pain  all  day,  and, 
though  his  greeting  was  cheerful,  the  features 
seemed  older  and  more  worn. 

"  Ah,  Meta,  Meta,"  he  whispered,  "  I'm  nearer 
the  'great  white  throne,'  nearer  the  'jasper 
sea!'  Sing  me  one  of  your  sweet  hymns!" 

Meta's  clear  young  voice  had  strangely  devel 
oped  itself  in  the  sick  chamber.  It  was  her 
"one  talent,"  and  she  was  hardly  conscious  of 
its  possession ;  yet  the  child  was  endowed  with 
the  rarest  gift  of  song,  and  her  sweet,  liquid 
notes  would  have  startled  Florry's  professor  had 
he  only  heard.  At  home  she  seldom  sang. 
Johnny  had  asked  her,  one  day,  for  a  favorite 
hymn,  and  she  found  that  singing  came  as 
natural  to  her  as  to  the  birds  ;  and  so  it  grew 
to  be  a  regular  part  of  her  visit,  and  added  no 
little  to  the  comfort  and  happiness  of  her  friend. 

"  He  will  '  never,  no,  never,  no,  never  for 
sake, '"  repeated  Johnny  after  her,  as  she 
ceased ;  "  O  Meta,  it  is  so  comforting  to  me  to 
hear  it.  Sometimes  I  feel  so  lonely  at  the 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  6/ 

thought  of  going  all  alone  from  the  world ;  but 
then,  when  my  heart  shrinks,  I  think  of  those 
words.  Do  you  ever  think  of  dyin',  Meta  ?  " 

"  Not  often,"  she  answered,  in  a  frightened 
tone ;  "  I  know  I  have  to  die,  but  I  don't  see 
how  I  can  help  being  afraid." 

"Never  mind,"  said  the  boy,  encouragingly; 
"  when  God  has  need  of  you  he  will  give  you 
the  strength  you  cannot  feel  now.  Did  'you 
ever  see  anybody  die  ?  " 

"  No ;  did  you,  Johnny  ? " 

"  Only  my  own  mother,"  he  sighed  ;  "  she 
bid  me  be  a  good,  brave  lad,  and  strive  to  do 
my  duty ;  and  her  lips,  as  she  kissed  me  oft 
and  oft,  were  damp  and  cold,  till  I  cried  aloud 
with  the  fear  of  my  heart.  She  did  not  think 
it  would  be  long  before  I'd  join  her." 

"  Did  they  put  her  down  in  the  dark  ground?" 

"  Yes,  the  poor,  weak  body,  they  did ;  but  my 
mother  was  far  away  from  feeling  cold  nor  dark. 
She,  for  all  she  lay  so  pale  and  still,  was  in  that 
blessed  country  where  God  is  wipin'  away  the 
tears  from  eyes  that  weep.  Oh,  to  think  there'll 
be  no  more  cryin'  nor  any  pain,  and  even  me, 
with  my  poor,  twisted,  achin'  body,  will  be 
praisin'  and  blessin'  God !  " 

"  How  do  you  know,  Johnny  ?  What  makes 
you  so  sure  ? "  asked  Meta's  puzzled  voice.  The 


68  MKTA    WALLACE,  OR 

question  startled  the  happy  little  journeyer,  who 
had  relied  upon  the  preciousness  of  the  words 
so  long.  He  turned  the  fading  eyes  full  upon 
the  child,  saying,  solemnly  : 

"  '  He  is  faithful  that  promised,'  and  I  cannot 
be  mistaken,  Meta !  The  same  Lord  that  said 
'  Write ! '  said,  too,  '  For  these  words  are  true 
and  faithful.'" 

He  paused  an  instant,  and  smiled  to  see  the 
earnest  eyes  so  eagerly  regarding  him ;  then, 
reaching  his  little  Bible,  he  opened  at  the  book 
of  Job,  i  Qth  chapter. 

"There,"  he  said,  gently,  ," read  the  words 
yourself."  She  followed  the  direction  of  his 
hand,  and  read  after  him  : 

" '  For  I  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth,  and 
that  he  shall  stand  at  the  latter  day  upon  the 
earth  :  and  though  after  my  skin,  worms  destroy 
this  body,  yet  in  my  flesh  shall  I  see  God : 

•* '  Whom  I  shall  see  for  myself,  and  mine  eyes 
shall  behold,  and  not  another ;  —  " 

"But,  Johnny,"  said  the  child,  as  he  looked 
triumphantly  in  her  face,  "  I  don't  understand 
it  all ;  do  you  ? " 

"  Nay,  nay,"  gravely  shaking  his  head ;  "  we 
do  not  know  how  they  are  raised,  nor  with  what 
body  they  come.  My  Bible  tells  me  it  is  a  great 
'  mystery/  how  '  corruption  puts  on  incorrup- 


THE  SEEN   AND    UNSEEN.  69 

tion;'  it  is  enough  for  the  likes  of  me  to  know 
that  we  shall  surely  rise  again,  and  God  will 
give  us  what  bodies  seem  good  to  him." 
^  "  You  talk  like  people  in  books,  Johnny.  Who 
told  you  all  about  dying  and  getting  a  new  body  ? 
I  know  you  read  a  heap,  but  I  don't  see  how  that 
can  be !  I  always  thought  we  turned  into  dust 
when  we  died.  Are  you  sure  we  shall  have 
sure  enough  bodies  ? " 

"Yes,   indeed,"    returned   the    boy,   eagerly; 
"  just  listen  to  the  very  words ! "     And  he  read 
of  the  glorious  fruits  that  followed  on  Christ's 
rising  from  the  dead.     The  full  meaning  of  the 
inspired   language  was  beyond  Meta's  compre 
hension,  but  the  simplicity  of   the  metaphors 
helped  her  to  take  in  the  fact  that  God's  power 
changes  the  natural  into  the  spiritual  body,  just 
as  that  same  power  brings  forth  from  the  single 
grain  the  full  corn  in  the  ear. 
3  "You  see,"  resumed  Johnny,  "death   comes 
first.     The  seed  is  not '  quickened  except  it  die ; ' 
so  my  poor   painful  body  must  be  laid  in  the 
ground,  too,  until  I'll  come  forth   in   the  new 
body,  when  I  '  see  God  in  the  flesh.'  " 

"But   wouldn't   you   rather    have  — "    Meta 
paused  abruptly,  blushing  in  confusion. 

"  Rather  have  a  new,  whole,  sound  body  like 
yours,  do  you  ask?     Don't  you  know  what  is  fst 


7°  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

to  stand  before  the  'great  white  throne'  is  fit 
for  me  ?  He  says  there  will  be  no  more  sorrow 
nor  crying;  and  if  I  took  the  aches  and  pains 
along  with  me,  sure  would  the  promise  fail  me 
then,  for  I  could  but  weep  and  groan.  No  !  I 
don't  know  how  the  Master  works,  but  I  am  sure 
it  will  be  done." 

Johnny's  tone  of  conviction  had  a  great  effect 
upon  Meta.  The  mysteries  of  life  and  death  had 
never  been  presented  to  her  before,  and  the  sight 
of  a  lad,  only  a  few  years  older  than  herself, 
looking  forward  to  that  spiritual  body,  which 
she  only  feebly  grasped  at,  filled  her  with  anx 
iety  to  understand  for  herself. 

The  short  afternoon  was  almost  gone;  but 
though  Meta  had  in  a  measure  stolen  off  for  the 
visit,  she  would  not  have  thought  of  the  conse 
quences  had  not  Bridget's  warning  voice  bade 
her  remember  that  her  mamma  did  not  know 
she  had  come.  Even  then  she  obeyed  the  sum 
mons  reluctantly,  and  leaned  over  to  say  a  last 
word  to  the  little  dying  Christian. 

"Johnny,"  she  whispered,  hesitatingly,  "will 
you  let  me  read  your  book  and  learn  for  myself? 
I  would  love  to  stay  here  all  the  time,  but,  you 
see,  I  can't." 

Johnny  was  silent  an  instant,  in  some  per 
plexity.  "People  make  their  wills,  you  know," 


THE  SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  J\ 

he  said  at  last,  brightly,  "and  I  haven't  much 
to  leave.  When  I  go,"  he  nodded  significantly, 
"  then  it'll  be  yours,  and  you  can  learn  the 
way.  I  couldn't  be  happy  without  it,"  he  went 
on  apologetically ;  "  it's  like  an  old  friend,  you 
see !  "  . 

Meta  hastily  assured  him  "that  would  do," 
and  they  parted  with  a  promise  from  the  little 
girl  that  she  would  soon  return. 


CHAPTER  X. 

UT  Meta  did  not  see  Johnny  again  for 
weeks ;  during  which  time   he   rallied 
hopefully,  only  to  grow  worse  again  in 
the  end. 

When  they  reached  home  that  evening  it  was 
quite  late.  The  curtains  were  down,  and  gas 
light  streamed  from  every  window.  Bridget  was 
greeted  in  the  hall,  by  the  butler,  with  the  signs 
of  a  storm. 

"  Sure,  the  mistress  is  very  angry,  and  ye  two 
are  wanted  in  the  dressin'-room  at  oncet,"  said 
Thomas,  smiling  grimly. 

"What  is  it  now?"  asked  Bridget,  hurriedly. 
"  Faith,  and  that  you  must  find  out  for  your 
self,"  was  his  ungracious  rejoinder. 

Florence  met  them  at  the  head  of  the  stairs. 
"  You've  gone  and  got  yourself  in  a  nice  fix," 
(72) 


THE   SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  73 

she  cried,  beginning  to  run  down  the  steps.  "  I 
knew  there'd  be  an  end  to  your  evening  walks. 
I  hope  you've  seen  enough  of  that  horrid  hos 
pital  at  last !  And  O  Meta,  you  are  not  to  go 
to  mamma,  but  to  the  nursery;  she  only  wants 
to  see  Bridget." 

"  Are  you  spaking  the  thruth  ?  "  asked  Bridget, 
indignation  bringing  out  her  pronunciation. 

"  Yes,  I'm  spaking  the  thruth,  sure,"  mimicked 
Florry,  laughing,  "  and  if  Meta  wants  to  find  out 
to  her  cost,  she'd  better  proceed  to  the  dressing- 
room  at  once." 

The  child,  though  glad  of  an  escape  from  the 
dreaded  interview,  was  very  much  concerned 
that  the  storm  should  fall  on  her  favorite's  head; 
and  she  clung  to  Bridget,  beseeching  her  to  let 
her  go  to  mamma,  and  tell  her  it  was  all  her 
own  fault. 

But  Bridget  preferred  to  obey  orders,  and  left 
her  at  the  nursery  door,  with  a  few  encouraging 
kisses,  and  the  assurance  that  Johnny's  condi 
tion  would  doubtless  abate  Mrs.  Wallace's  dis 
pleasure. 

Meta  sat  in  the  nursery,  in  the  dim  light,  for 
a  long  time ;  but  no  Bridget  appeared.  She 
was  very  courageous,  and  not  at  all  afraid  of 
being  alone ;  but  anxiety  added  clogs  to  the 
minutes,  and  her  intentness  in  listening  for  the 


74  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

dressing-room  door  to  open  magnified  every 
sound  in  the  house. 

At  last  the  door  did  open  and  close,  Meta 
heard  slow  steps  coming  along  the'passage,  and 
Bridget  appeared  on  the  threshold.  There  was 
a  very  sad,  pained  expression  on  her  honest 
face,  and  her  eyes  were  quite  red  from  weeping. 
She  ran  to  Meta,  caught  her  hurriedly  in  her 
sturdy  arms,  and  sank  back  in  a  chair,  rocking 
herself  to  and  fro. 

"  An'  it's  leave  you  I  must,  my  darlint,"  she 
sobbed  out,  clasping  the  child  closer  to  her 
breast ;  "  it's  leave  you  I  must,  and  that  at  once." 

"  Leave  me  ?  Why,  what  did  mamma  say, 
Bridget?  Is  she  very  angry,  and  what  is  it 
about?  Oh,  don't  go!  You  shall  not  go,  my 
dear  old  Bridget ! " 

"An*  I  must,  my  honey.  It's  neither  what 
we  wish  nor  ask,  but  your  mamma  is  very  firm. 
I  can't  say  she  was  over-unkind,  but  she  is  very 
quiet  and  determined-like." 

"Oh,  what  can  make  her  so  angry?"  sobbed 
Meta,  burying  her  head  in  the  nurse's  breast. 

And  then  Bridget  told  the  result  of  her  sum 
mons  to  Mrs.  Wallace.  It  seems  that  Florence, 
who  still  slept  in  the  nursery,  had  kept  her 
mamma  pretty  well  informed  of  the  conferences 
indulged  in  by  Meta  and  Bridget  whenever  the 


THE  SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  75 

latter  was  at  leisure ;  and,  knowing  that  Johnny 
and  his  religious  views  were  more  often  dis 
cussed  than  anything  else,  the  mother  gradually 
grew  provoked  and  alarmed  at  the  extent  of  the 
girl's  influence  over  her  wayward  child.  She 
had  long  meditated  getting  rid  of  Bridget  as 
quietly  as  possible ;  for,  though  her  services 
were  of  great  value,  a  thousand  fears  of  Meta's 
growing  "  sanctified  "  and  unchildlike  beset  her 
mind,  and  she  preferred  the  annoyance  of  sup 
plying  a  valuable  servant's  place  to  the  possible 
future  she  had  pictured  for  her  little  daughter. 
She  was,  therefore,*  very  glad  to  seize  this  oppor 
tunity  to  reprimand  Bridget  severely,  and  inform 
her  that  she  was  no  longer  to  be  trusted  with 
the  charge  of  a  child.  In  vain  poor  Bridget 
begged  and  wept,  assuring  her  that  she  would 
promise  anything  if  she  would  only  be  al 
lowed  another  trial,  and  be  retained  in  service. 
Mrs.  Wallace  was  determined,  and,  with  a 
contemptuous  reference  to  Johnny  —  the  in 
nocent,  cause  of  her  wrath  —  assured  the  girl 
that  she  must  leave  at  once.  Bridget's  blood 
boiled  as  her  little  patient  sufferer  came  in  for 
a  share  of  the  blame,  and  she  answered,  in  a 
quick,  impetuous  way  : 

"  Sure,  it's  glad  ye  should  be  that  the  darlint 
should  see  one  of  God's  own  winging  his  flight ! 


76  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

0  ma'am,"  breaking  off  in  tears,  "it's  not  for 
long  he'll  be  in  the  way,  and  I'll  promise  she'll 
not  see  him  again,  if  only  ye'll  keep  me  till  the 
boy  is  gone !     Sure,  it'll  break  his  heart,  ma'am, 
the  disgrace;  and  I  as  was  never  sent  from  a 
house  before ! " 

But  Mrs.  Wallace  had  made  up  her  mind.  At 
any  other  time  she  would  probably  have  yielded 
to  the  girl's  evident  distress,  for  she  was  not  se 
vere,  nor  cruel,  only  very  selfish,  and  thoughtless 
of  the  pain  her  whims  inflicted;  but  a  great 
many  disappointments,  of  one  kind  or  another, 
had  made  her  fretful  for  some  time,  and  Bridget's 
natural  defence  of  her  brother  was  called  an  im 
pertinence  as  she  steeled  herself  against  the 
pleading  voice. 

"  I  do  not  wish  to  mortify  you,  Bridget,"  she 
said,  reluctantly,  "  and  I  am  sure  you  will  suffer 
nothing  by  leaving  me.  I  shall  send  you  to  a 
friend  in  Brooklyn,  who  will  pay  even  more  than 

1  have  done;  and  as  you  have  had  no  warning, 
I  shall  feel  bound  to  give  you  a  month's  wages 
besides  your  due.     Of   this  you  surely  cannot 
complain ;  but   it  is  worse  than  useless  to  at 
tempt  to  change  my  resolution.     I  beg  you  will 
say  nothing  more  on  the  subject,  and  be  ready 
to  leave  to-morrow." 

"  So  soon  !  "  interrupted  Bridget,  sadly. 


THE   SEEN  AND   UNSEEN. 


Mrs.  Wallace  nodded  slightly  as  she  took  out 
her  purse  and  handed  her  a  large  bill.  "  Take 
this,  and  go,"  she  said,  not  unkindly  ;  "  and  if 
you  need  a  friend  at  any  time,  apply  to  me  ; 
but  I  caution  you  against  attempting  to  see 
Meta  after  you  leave,  as  I  should  certainly  make 
you  feel  the  weight  of  my  displeasure  in  such 
an  event." 

"Never  fear,  madame,"  returned  Bridget, 
proudly,  "  I'll  not  trouble  you  again  !  Only," 
she  continued,  hesitatingly  —  "only,  if  the  lad 
grew  worse,  and  it  would  be  a  comfort  to  him, 
would  you  let  her  go  there  once?" 

"  Yes,  I  suppose  so,"  answered  the  lady, 
slightly  frowning,  as  she  bade  the  girl  withdraw. 
Bridget  did  so  with  a  heavy  heart,  muttering  to 
herself  as  the  door  closed  behind  her  : 

"  And  ye'll  shut  the  gates  of  the  Golden  City 
upon  her,  as  Johnny  talks  about  !  Well,  poor 
lamb  !  The  Lord  can  take  care  of  his  own,  in 
spite  of  ye  !  " 

Mrs.  Wallace's  reflections  were  of  a  mixed 
character  as  she  sat  musing.  A  feeling  of  re 
gret  for  her  decision,  and  a  half-desire  to  call 
Bridget  back,  mingled  with  intense  relief  that 
the  disagreeable  step,  so  long  meditated,  was 
finally  taken. 

"  I  have  saved  the  child  from  vulgar  associa- 


78  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

tion  and  morbid  influences,"  she  thought,  con 
tentedly  ;  "  Felicie  will  give  her  some  style,  and 
she  will  have  to  talk  French  frequently.  I  shall 
send  her  to  walk  in  the  square  regularly,  too, 
and  I  hope  this  will  throw  her  with  suitable 
companions,  notwithstanding  her  queer  tastes." 

And  thus,  so  far  as  Mrs.  Wallace  was  con 
cerned,  the  question  was  satisfactorily  settled. 
But  not  so  with  the  pair  who  were  rendered  so 
miserable  by  the  thought  of  separation.  Their 
bitter  tears  and  sad  faces  made  excellent  food 
for  Florry's  sarcasms  at  bed-time;  but  her  ef 
forts  to  provoke  and  annoy  them  were  for  once 
unheeded. 

On  the  following  morning,  Meta  screamed 
and  cried  in  a  very  naughty  way  when  her 
mamma  attempted  to  reason  with  her  grief.  Sit 
ting  upon  Bridget's  trunk  in  the  nursery,  she 
vehemently  refused  to  allow  Thomas  to  remove 
it,  though  Mrs.  Wallace  scolded  and  threatened 
in  a  severe  tone.  In  consequence  of  this  rebell 
ion,  the  adieux  of  poor  Bridget  were  very  faint, 
and  rendered  almost  unintelligible  by  sobs  that 
she  could  not  restrain.  Tom,  at  a  signal  from 
his  mistress,  lifted  Meta  in  his  sturdy  arms,  and 
deposited  her  on  the  dressing-room  lounge, 
where  Felicie  awaited  her. 

"  Sure,  she's  a  rare  "un,"  he  said,  smiling 
grimly.  "  I  wish  ye  joy  of  your  place,  miss." 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  J7C) 

The  Frenchwoman,  dressed  very  stylishly, 
and  looking  very  much  bored,  came  over  to  the 
lounge,  and  attempted  to  smooth  the  tumbled 
curls  ;  but  Meta  thrust  aside  her  hand  rudely. 

"Let  me  alone,  Felicie!"  she  screamed,  an 
grily.  "  I  don't  like  you  at  all !  I  don't  love 
any  one  but  Bridget,  and  she's  gone ! "  The 
last  sentence  was  wailed  forth  to  the  wise-look 
ing  birds  on  the  papering.  The  young  woman 
turned  up  her  nose,  and  went  back  to  the  book 
she  had  been  reading ;  yet  she  staid  by  Meta 
the  rest  of  the  day. 

Mrs.  Wallace  thought  it  best  to  leave  the  sor 
rowful  child  to  bear  her  first  grief  alone,  as  a 
righteous  punishment  for  her  display  of  rebell 
ious  temper ;  but  she  was  wrong.  A  mother's 
tender  love  and  quiet  reasoning  would  have 
soon  subdued  the  spirit  of  angry  contradiction, 
and  Meta's  tears  of  grief  would  have  become 
those  of  repentance.  Mrs.  Wallace,  like  many 
others,  "looked  through  a  glass,  darkly." 
Child-sorrows,  with  'most  people,  are  deemed 
trifling,  and  the  rod  more  often  used  than  love 
to  assuage  them ;  but  in  proportion  to  its  sense 
of  pain,  childhood's  griefs  are  keener  than  those 
of  maturer  years.  Neither  reason  nor  philoso 
phy,  nor  even  that  spirit  of  passive  endur 
ance  which  some  have  learned  in  the  rigorous 
school,  aid  the  child-heart  in  viewing  trouble 


8O  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

by  the  law  of  comparison ;  and  religion  is  too 
abstract  and  dimly  comprehended  for  faith  to 
soothe,  and  humility  to  accept,  as  the  justice  of 
the  All- Wise.  Thrice  blessed  are  those  mothers 
who  can  distinguish  between  actual,  willful 
naughtiness,  and  the  sensitive  spirit  that  creates 
its  own  miseries  without  design.  It  is  a  nice 
distinction,  truly ;  and  few  of  us  pause  to  ques 
tion  it  when  seeming  ingratitude  and  rebellion 
arouse  our  sense  of  justice.  Yet  it  is  a  fearful 
power  that  we  hold,  and  one  requiring  earnest 
watchfulness  and  prayer ;  for  God,  who  has  im 
parted  it,  alone  knows  the  extent  and  conse 
quences  of  the  mother's  influence;  the  task  of 
rearing,  teaching,  restraining  the  human  souls 
confided  to  us,  making  of  them  almost  as  much 
the  creatures  of  our  will  and  the  result  of  our 
example  as  the  potter  doth  with  the  clay,  when 
he  maketh  one  vessel  unto  honor,  and  another 
unto  dishonor,  as  it  pleaseth  him.  Many  a  mo 
rose,  selfish,  unbelieving  man  or  woman  is  but 
the  natural  result  of  early  impulses  unchecked, 
childish  miseries  unsympathized  with,  childish 
trust  abused. 

Meta  spent  her  whole  day  in  tears.  She  re 
fused  all  food,  and  lay  on  the  sofa,  counting  the 
birds  and  flowers  on  the  papering,  and  varying 
the  amusement  by  making  faces  at  Felicie. 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  8 1 

With  a  heart  as  sad  as  her  little  charge, 
Bridget  left  the  house,  and  went  at  once  to 
Johnny,  though  she  forbore  to  sadden  him  with 
the  news  of  her  dismissal.  She  found  the  little 
sufferer  so  calm  and  reconciled,  his  mind  so 
engrossed  with  heavenly  things,  in  the  midst  of 
excruciating  pain,  that  she  could  not  bring  her 
self  to  add  a  feather's  weight  to  the  earthly  clogs 
that  were,  in  the  shape  of  nature's  weaknesses, 
holding  the  longing  soul  still  fettered. 

Later  in  the  day,  she  crossed  the  ferry,  and 
sought  the  elegant  Brooklyn  establishment,  to 
which  Mrs.  Wallace's  recommendation  gained 
her  instant  admission  and  a  good  home. 

Here  we  must  leave  her  for  awhile. 


CHAPTER  XL 

E  now  pass  over  a  period  of  some  weeks, 
during  which  time  Meta  went  daily  to 
Madame  Clive's  elegant  and  exclusive 
school  with  Florry,  and  walked  out  in  the  after 
noon  with  Fe"licie,  who  took  her  only  to  the  gay 
parks,  with  other  well-dressed  children,  or  down 
Broadway  to  see  the  handsome  stores,  and 
crowds  of  people,  or  to  look  in  the  windows  of 
the  toy-shops.  She  still  missed  Bridget  sadly, 
and  longed  for  her  with  a  sore  lieart,  disliking 
the  French  maid  in  proportion  as  she  loved  her 
old  nurse ;  yet  she  did  enjoy  walking  and  driv 
ing  every  day,  and  paying  frequent  visits  to  the 
confectioner,  despite  her  griefs.  At  night  her 
loss  was  most  sensibly  felt;  for  F^licie,  who  dis 
liked  nursing,  was  very  cross  sometimes,  and 
often  left  her  alone.  At  such  times  Meta  cried 
(82) 


THE   SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  83 

herself  to  sleep,  and  thought  very  hard  things 
of  the  fate  that  had  deprived  her  of  her  best 
friend.  She  would  often  revolve  all  sorts  of 
impracticable  schemes  in  her  head  for  finding 
Bridget  and  Johnny,  even  going  so  far  as  to 
stow  away  bread  and  cake  in  her  drawer  for 
some  future  contingency,  when  she  might  run 
away  from  Felicie  and  everybody,  and  sleep  for 
awhile  in  an  alley,  until  some  good  Samaritan 
should  pick  her  up  and  bring  her  home ;  in 
which  event,  she  pictured  everybody  in  great 
consternation,  and  full  of  repentance  and  good 
will,  when  she  was  duly  deposited  in  Thirty- 
fifth  street  by  the  aforesaid  good  Samaritan. 
But,  owing  to  the  wholesome  awe  in  which  Fe 
licie  held  her  mistress,  Meta's  runaway  ideas 
never  had  room  to  develop ;  the  Frenchwoman 
kept  a  strict  watch  over  her  in  their  daily  in 
tercourse,  and  often  complained  to  her  nursery 
acquaintances  that  her  charge  was  one  of  the 
greatest  afflictions  in  life.  It  must  not  be  sup 
posed  that  Meta's  desperate  feelings  were  of 
long  duration ;  for,  like  other  children,  she  was 
easily  roused  from  even  real  sorrow  by  dis 
tractions.  She  had  many  delightful  play  hours 
at  school,  and  her  favorites  among  her  class 
mates,  and  even  enjoyed  an  occasional  doll's 
party,  though  she  was  no  longer  reduced  to 
imaginary  characters  for  her  feasts. 


84  META    WALLACE,  OR 

Florry,  being  at  that  age  when  she  consid 
ered  it  smart  to  look  down  upon  little  girls, 
made  her  sister's  school-days,  at  first,  something 
of  a  trial.  Even  in  Meta's  choice  of  a  friend 
she  snubbed  and  sneered  at  her.  Madame  Clive, 
though  professing  to  have  a  most  exclusive 
school,  admitted  to  the  honor  of  scholarship  the 
daughters  of  several  tradesmen  ;  among  whom 
was  Alice  Agneau,  the  child  of  the  very  confec 
tioner  at  whose  counter  the  dollar  for  Johnny 
had  been  expended.  Meta  had  always  liked  the 
sweet,  girlish  face,  long  before  she  was  made 
hopelessly  captive  by  Alice's  kindness  in  ex 
plaining  away  the  mysteries  of  that  childish  bug 
bear,  "fractions,"  over  which  she  one  day  bent 
her  puzzled  face  and  tortured  her  poor  head  in 
vain.  On  the  homeward  walk,  she  had  vent 
ured  to  tell  Florry  that  "  Alice  Agneau  was  the 
very  delightfullest  girl  in  school ; "  at  which 
Florry's  nose  turned  up  still  higher  as  she  said, 
with  a  grand  air : 

"  Agneau  ?  Why,  that's  where  I  buy  cream 
puffs  and  meringues,  on  Sixth  avenue ! " 

"  Yes,  it's  the  very  place.  Alice  brings  crul 
lers  to  school  every  day,  and  —  " 

"  Has  found  that  the  way  to  your  heart  is 
straight  down  your  throat,  eh  ?  Fie !  I  wouldn't 
be  bought  over  with  crullers ! " 


THE  SEEN  AND    UNSEEN. 


"Neither  am  I!  Alice  helps  me  do  those 
dreadful  sums,  and  I  like  her  ever  so  much. 
She  speaks  French  a  great  deal  better  than  you, 
or  Nina  Appleton,  either,  /  can  tell  you ! ' 

"Very  likely,"    returned   Florry,    unmoved; 
"and  she  probably  understands  the  art  of  bak 
ing  better,  I  dare  say ! "     The  discussion  lasted 
until  they  reached  home,  and  both  were  sor 
what  excited. 

« I  don't  care  if  you  do  tell  mamma,  was 
Meta's  half-crying  exclamation,  as  they  waited 
for  Thomas  "to  answer  the  bell ;  "  Alice  is  good 
to  me,  and  I  don't  care  what  you  say ! 

«  And  so  you  said  about  that  horrid  Bridget, 
said  Florry,  sneering;  -  it's  a  wonder  to  me  you 
always  choose  friends  that  haven't  any  ances 


tors. 


«  People  are  obliged  to  have  ancestors ! "  cried 
Meta,  angrily ;  "  you  know  they  are !  I'm  sure 
it  doesn't  matter  whether  they  lived—  " 

"On  cream   puffs,   for   instance,"    suggested 

Florry. 

"  In  cake-shops,  I  say,  or  in  —  " 

"Ireland,"  finished  Florence,  provokingly. 
"  Come  !  You  can't  deny  that  your  two  friends' 
fathers  probably  subsisted  on  cream  puffs  and 
'praties.'  You  know,  Meta,  mamma  will  want 
to  know  about  Alice;  she  is  very  aristocratic, 
and  her  grandfather  —  " 


86  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

• 

"Yes,  where  did  he  come  from?"  asked 
Meta,  quickly. 

"  Why,"  began  Flurry,  meditatively,  "  I  really 
forget  where  he  did  come  from,  though  I  know 
he  was  a  big  man  somewhere.  I'm  sure  of  it ! 
Let  me  see !  I  guess  he  jumped  out  of  the  ark 
window,  and  floated  down ;  for  I  can  tell  you, 
mamma's  family  is  awfully  old.  So,  my  dear, 
take  my  advice,  and  let  confectioners'  daughters 
alone."  Florence  tapped  Meta's  chin  provok- 
ingly  with  her  lead  pencil  as  they  entered  the 
hall,  and  ran  away  up-stairs,  leaving  her  sister 
to  her  own  reflections. 

"  I  wish  —  I  wish,"  said  the  child,  slowly, 
"oh,  I  wish  I  was  going  with  Johnny;  then 
they  wouldn't  all  treat  me  so !  I  mean  to  run 
away  and  find  that  hospital,  if  I  can  only  get 
away  from  Fe"licie,  and  then  nobody  can  find 
me!" 

As  she  went  slowly  up-stairs,  she  met  her 
father,  who  was  hastily  coming  down  and  jos 
tled  against  her.  As  he  stopped  an  instant,  to 
pat  the  pretty  cheek,  a  sudden  thought  struck 
her: 

•"O  papa,"  she  cried,  eagerly,  "mayn't  I  go 
with  you  walking  this  evening?  I  am  so  tired 
of  Felicie." 

"  Not  now,  my  dear,"  returned  her  father,  hur- 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  87 

riedly ;  "  I  have  lost  a  very  valuable  paper,  and 
must  go  to  Bellevue  in  a  day  or  two.  When  I 
come  back,  Meta !  Kiss  papa,  my  daughter ! 
Here,  take  this,  and  buy  yourself  something 
pretty."  And,  slipping  a  half-dollar  in  her  hand, 
he  passed  on  down  the  stairs,  leaving  Meta  in  a 
brown  study.  Something  in  her  father's  man 
ner  recalled  her  old  dread  of  him,  which  she 
had  in  a  measure  overcome ;  and  the  mention  of 
"valuable  paper"  recalled  her  long-forgotten 
trouble  before  their  return  to  the  city.  Was  it 
possible  that  the  paper  she  had  destroyed  was 
really  valuable,  and  its  loss  the  source  of  so 
much  anxiety  as  to  cause  a  trip  to  Bellevue  ? 
The  question  presented  itself  again  and  again, 
and  brought  with  it  so  much  perplexed  thought 
that  Meta  -wondered  how  she  could  have  for 
gotten  it  so  soon.  The  more  she  reflected,  the 
more  probable  this  solution  of  her  father's  grav 
ity  seemed  to  her;  and  the  possibility  of  having 
to  confess  a  piece  of  naughtiness,  involving  she 
knew  not  what  disgrace  or  loss,  made  her  really 
miserable.  All  through  her  early  dinner  with 
Felicie  she  found  herself  longing  for  Bridget, 
and  regretting,  too  late,  the  obstinacy  that  re 
fused  to  confide  her  mysterious  behavior  in 
Mrs.  Walker's  room  to  her  faithful  friend. 

"O  Johnny,"  was  her  constant  thought,  "how 
hard  it  is  for  me  to  be  good  ! " 


88  AfETA    WALLACE,  OR 

An  intense  longing  to  see  the  sick  boy  took 
possession  of  her,  as  her  vivid  imagination  pict 
ured  the  possible  result  should  her  mischief 
have  been  really  discovered,  and  her  father's 
loss  be  traced  to  her  meddling  fingers. 

All  through  the  elaborate  toilette  which  F6- 
licie  deemed  necessary  for  a  walk  in  Washing 
ton  square,  Meta  pondered  sundry  desperate 
schemes  for  getting  to  Johnny,  whose  advice  and 
sympathy  she  relied  on  in  her  dilemma.  She 
felt  that  he  could  tell  her  what  was  best  to  do, 
or,  at  any  rate,  satisfy  the  doubts  and  fears  that 
had  assailed  her.  But  how  get  rid  of  the  maid  ? 

"Fe"licie,"  she  asked,  timidly,  "don't  you 
think  you  could  find  the  hospital,  if  I  told  you 
what  cars  to  take  ?  " 

"  The  hospital !  "  repeated  Fe"licie,  holding  up 
her  hands  ;  "  why,  madame  has  forbid  the  hospi 
tal.  She  will  be  ver'  angry !  No,  I  can  go  to 
only  shops  and  parks." 

"  But  you  will  go  to  Agneau's,  and  get  some 
nice  meringues,  won't  you  ? "  asked  the  child, 
coaxingly.  Meta  had  some  strategy  in  her 
composition. 

"  Ah,  but  yees,"  answered  Fe"licie,  sooth 
ingly  ;  "  now  you  talk  wisdom,  mignonne.  Cer 
tain,  we  will  go  to  Agneau." 

The  hair  was  curled  to  FeMicie's  satisfaction, 


THE  SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  89 

and  her  own  and  Meta's  hats  stylishly  adjusted; 
then  they  sauntered  forth,  apparently  the  best 
of  friends.  Meta  was  in  high  spirits.  A  hope  of 
success  buoyed  her  up  as  she  thought  of  Fran- 
gois,  the  good-natured  waiting-boy  at  Agneau's, 
who  had  known  her  for  so  many  years,  and 
always  chatted  so  kindly  across  the  counter. 
Meta  was  one  of  his  best,  and  decidedly  his  fa 
vorite,  customer,  and  Frangois  always  put  an  ex 
tra  puff  or  candy  in  her  parcels.  Might  she 
not  find  Johnny  with  the  assistance  of  the  kind 
French  boy  ?  Fe"licie's  taste  for  sweets  might 
serve  her  a  good  turn  yet. 

Very  happy,  she  skipped  along  by  the  maid's 
side  to  the  Sixth  avenue,  and  was  soon  looking 
into  Agneau's  glass  case. 

While  Felicie  discussed,  in  her  native  tongue, 
the  merits  of  a  new  confection  exhibited  by  old 
Agneau,  Meta  held  a  whispered  conference 
with  Frangois  at  the  other  end  of  the  long 
counter. 

"  Do  you  know  where  a  big  stone  hospital  is, 
Frangois  ? " 

The  boy  smiled.  "  Yes,  ever  so  many,"  he 
replied,  with  a  curious  look  in  her  earnest  face. 

"  But  I  mean  one  that  you  take  those  cars," 
pointing  to  one  passing,  "  and  ride  ever  so  far, 
and  then  get  out  and  walk  a  square." 


QO  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

• 

"  I  can't  say,"  returned  Francois,  shaking  his 
head,  "though  I  had  a  cousin  that  died  in 
one  —  "  ' 

"  But  they  don't  have  small-pox  and  cholera 
in  this  one,  Francois,  and  you  needn't  be  afraid. 
Johnny  is  going  to  die,  but  it's  only  his  poor 
back,  you  know.  Can't  you  think  where  your 
cousin  was?  Oh,  do,  please  !" 

"  I  can  look  in  the  Directory,  and  ask  mon 
sieur,"  said  Francois,  seeing  her  earnestness ; 
"  but,  mademoiselle,  what  do  you  want  in  a 
hospital  ? " 

"  I  must  see  Johnny !  Oh !  can't  you  help 
me  a  bit,  Francois  ? " 

Here  F61icie  came  up  to  the  two,  looking  cu 
riously  at  the.  shop-boy,  and  telling  Meta  to 
"  come  on."  The  sharp  glance  of  her  black  eyes 
made  him  color  up,  but,  seeing  Meta's  look 
of  disappointment  at  receiving  no  answer,  he 
leaned  over  and  whispered  a  few  words : 

"  J'tsptre  que  out,"  he  said,  unconsciously,  in 
French.  "  Je  vous  dirai  demain ;  vcnez  sans 
faute. "  Here  F61icie,  though  she  heard 
nothing,  began  to  suspect  a  plot,  and,  taking 
Meta's  hand,  walked  her  unceremoniously  out 
of  the  store.  The  child  gave  a  despairing  sigh 
as  she  went  along  the  avenue  in  silence. 

"  Oh,"  she  thought,  regretfully,    "  I    wish    I 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  C)I 

could  understand  French  people !  If  I  was  only 
as  smart  as  Florry,  or  had  studied  my  lessons, 
or  talked  to  Felicie.  But  I  can't !  She  is  so  hate 
ful  ;  that's  why  I  don't  like  French.  '  J'fepere 
que  otti — venez  sans  fatite — Je  vous  dirai  de- 
main  '  —  oh,  what  does  it  all  mean,  I  wonder  ?  " 

But,  though  she  remembered  the  words,  the 
solution  of  Francois'  attempted  consolation  could 
not  be  found.  Florence  found  her  at  bed-time 
with  a  big  French  dictionary  on  her  knee,  look 
ing  out  the  words,  sleepily. 

"  Getting  mighty  studious,"  laughed  Florry, 
yawning,  as  the  troubled  face  was  lifted  to  hers. 

"  O  dear  Florry,  what  does  this  mean  ?  "  she 
asked,  pleadingly,  as  she  slowly  repeated  her 
sentence,  or  such  of  it  as  she  could  remember. 

"  You  little  stupid  ! "  replied  her  sister,  conde 
scendingly,  glad  to  exhibit  her  superior  knowl 
edge  ;  "  I  never  heard  such  pronunciation  !  '  Je 
vous  dirai  demain '  means  '  I  will  tell  you  to 
morrow.'  What  is  the  rest  ? " 

But  this  was  enough  for  Meta.  With  very 
grateful  thanks  for  the  information,  she  shut 
up  her  book,  and  began  to  undress,  resisting 
Florry's  teasing  to  learn  "what  she  wanted  to 
know  for,"  and  not  resenting  her  insinuation 
that  she  was  up  to  some'*mischief. 

All  the  next  day  in  school,  she  was  absorbed  in 


Q2  MET  A    WALLACE,  OK 

the  coming  escape  from  Fdicie,  and  her  various 
modes  of  eluding  vigilance  utterly  interfered 
with  her  lessons.  The  "  fractions  "  had  assumed 
a  giant  aspect,  and  not  even  Alice's  efforts  to 
explain  could  make  her  see  any  result  to  her 
sums  but  a  big  stone  building  and  long  flights 
of  stairs.  Madame  Clive  administered  a  severe 
rebuke,  but  it  did  not  avail  much ;  and  Meta 
drew  a  sigh  of  relief  when  she  was  dismissed 
in  disgrace  to  her  seat,  where  she  indulged  in 
her  plans  for  the  afternoon  until  school  closed. 

After  dinner,  as  Florry  and  Felicie  were  talk 
ing  and  laughing  in  the  nursery,  Meta  took  ad 
vantage  of  an  animated  discussion  of  Nina  Ap- 
pleton's  perfections  to  leave  them  unobserved. 
She  ran  hastily  down-stairs,  caught  her  hat  off 
the  entry  rack,  and  rushed  out  of  the  back 
entrance. 

After  a  hard  run,  she  reached  Agneau's,  com 
pletely  out  of  breath. 

"  O  Francois,"  she  cried,  panting,  "  I  know 
what  you  meant !  See !  I've  come  in  time. 
Can  you  take  me  now  ?  Oh,  don't  say  no, 
please ! " 

"  Mademoiselle,"  he  said,  gravely,  "  I've  been 
thinking  it  over,  and  why  you  not  tell  maclame  ? 
Suppose  you  get  in  a  fix  ?  " 

"Oh,  indeed,  I  don't  want  to  do  anything  but 


THE  SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  93 

see  Johnny;  the  boy  with  the  bad  back,  you 
know !  I'm  in  so  much  trouble,  and  he  will  be 
sure  to  know  what  I  ought  to  do.  Did  you  find 
the  place  ? " 

"Yes,  but—" 

She  interrupted  him  with  a  piteous  look. 
"  I  will  promise  to  be  ever  so  good,  and 
come  home  just  when  you  wish  me  to ; 
you  needn't  even  let  go  of  my  hand.  O 
Francois,  please  come  along!  Felicie  doesn't 
miss  me,  and  I  want  to  hurry  back ! " 

Francois  was  not  proof  against  her  entreat 
ies  ;  and  when,  on  calling  Agneau  into  the  con 
ference,  the  old  man  thought  there  couldn't 
be  much  harm  done,  he  resisted  no  longer. 

The  pair  were  comfortably  seated  in  the  cars, 
and  some  way  down  the  avenue,  before  Meta's 
loss  was  discovered  by  the  angry  Felicie. 


CHAPTER  XII: 

OHNNY  was  very  much  startled  at 
sight  of  the  little  girl  without  Bridget. 
"  Where  is  my  sister  ? "  he  asked, 
anxiously,  after  giving  Meta  a  joyful  greeting. 
"  Why  didn't  you  bring  her  along  too  ?  how  did 
you  come,  and  who  is  this  ? " 

Meta  looked  at  him,  wonderingly. 

"  Why,  Johnny,  didn't  you  know  that  Bridget 
lives  in  Brooklyn  now  ? " 

The  boy's  face  clouded  over  as  he  looked  wist 
fully  at  his  little  friend ;  and  Meta  related  the 
story  she  had  unwittingly  betrayed. 

"  And  is  it  run  off  you  have  ? "  asked  the  sick 
boy,  his  eyes  filled  with  tears  at  her  recital. 

"  O  Johnny,  was  it  wrong  ?  Indeed,  I  wanted 
you  ever  so  bad,  and  I  knew  Fe"licie  wouldn't 
come  with  me.  You  see,  I  had  to  run  away." 

(94) 


THE   SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  95 

"  But  she  doesn't  wish  you  to  visit  the  likes 
of  me,"  sighed  the  boy,  in  a  mortified  tone; 
"and  though  we  can't  see  as  how  one  who  is 
almost  gone  from  poverty  and  sin  could  hurt 
you  much,  Meta,  yet  we  know  what  the  com 
mand  is,  deary :  '  Honor  thy  father  and  thy 
mother.'  Sure,  you  must  even  do  as  ye're  bid, 
if  ye'd  learn  the  Way." 

"Don't  scold  me,  dear  Johnny,  I  can't  bear 
it,"  sobbed  Meta,  covering  her  face.  "  Oh,  I 
didn't  mean  to  be  wicked;  I  only  wanted  you 
to  tell  me  how  to  do  something  mighty  hard  to 
do;  and  now  you're  angry  with  me  —  I  know 
you  are ! " 

"Nay,  Meta,"  he  returned,  sadly,  "it's  very 
nice  and  good  in  you  to  think  my  poor  help 
'any  great  things,  and  I'll  not  say  but  your 
face  is  a  very  comforting  sight  to  my  eyes,  as 
sees  only  red  walls  and  the  skies  all  day ;  but  I 
daren't  bid  you  steal  away  from  home  to  come 
to  me,  and  it's  not  right  for  me  to  even  speak 
to  you  against  your  own  mother's  will." 

But  Meta  would  not  go.  She  cried  long  and 
bitterly  over  the  new  lesson,  but  she  had  run 
too  much  risk,  in  order  to  obtain  his  advice, 
not  to  tell  her  source  of  unhappiness,  and  seek 
comfort  and  aid  through  his  superior  knowledge 
of  the  right. 


96  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

After  the  tears  were  exhausted,  she  turned  to 
Francois. 

"  Won't  you  go  over  there  ? "  she  asked,  hesi 
tatingly,  pointing  to  the  window ;  "  I  want  to 
tell  something  to  Johnny,  and  I  know  you  won't 
mind." 

"  Oh,  no,  I  won't  mind,"  answered  Francois, 
smiling,  as  he  turned  off;  "only  don't  make  it 
too  long.  Five  minutes,  little  lady,  and  we 
must  go,  for  sure  enough ! " 

The  five  minutes  passed,  however,  long  be 
fore  Meta's  whole  trouble  could  be  told;  for  she 
began  with  her  various  naughty  doings  at  Belle- 
vue,  and  did  not  end  until  the  piece  of  mis 
chief  was  brought  to  her  mind  by  her  father's 
loss  of  a  valuable  paper,  and  the  sudden  anxiety 
it  had  occasioned.  When  it  was  all  revealed, 
she  drew  a  long  breath,  and  looked  anxiously 
in  Johnny's  face. 

"What  must  I  do?"  she  asked,  plaintively; 
"  what  would  you  do,  I  mean  ? " 

"  I  was  never  tried,"  returned  Johnny,  simply; 
"  but  if  I  was,  I  am  sure  I  would  make  an  end 
of  it,  and  tell  my  father  the  whole  thing  —  " 

"  But,"  she  interrupted,  quickly,  "  you  know 
the  paper  might  not  have  been  worth  anything, 
and  then  I  would  have  all  the  fright  and  pun 
ishment  for  nothing,  you  see.  O  Johnny,  isn't 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  97 

there  some  other  way  ?  You  don't  know  how 
angry  papa  will  be  ! " 

But  Johnny  did  not  think  this  made  any  dif 
ference  when  a  fault  was  to  be  atoned  for  or  a 
duty  plain. 

"It  will  be  a  step  in  the  right  way,"  he  said, 
consolingly,  "  and  I  doubt  me  if  your  father 
will  be  very  wroth  if  you  confess  it  all.  See, 
Meta :  the  tearing  it  up  was  careless,  but  it 
wasn't  sinful  until  you  kept  back  the  truth,  like, 
and  acted  a  lie  —  " 

"  I  never  told  a  lie  in  my  life,"  she  cried, 
flushing  and  drawing  herself  up.  "  No,  Johnny, 
I'm  not  so  bad  as  you  think  me." 

"And  wasn't  it  dishonest,  think  ye,"  he 
asked,  patting  her  head,  "  to  keep  it  away  from 
all  knowledge  so  long,  when  it  was  your  father's 
property,  and  you  had  destroyed  it  ?  Ah,  Meta, 
there's  many  a  hard  thing  we  must  do,  and 
many  a  deep  thing  to  learn,  before  we  come  to 
the  reward !  You  did  the  mischief  from  a 
thoughtless  way  you  have ;  but  was  it  thought 
less  to  hide  it  and  try  to  swallow  your  sins  ? " 

"  Swallow  my  sins  ?  O  Johnny,  you  are 
laughing  at  me  —  I  know  you  are  —  " 

"No,"  he  said,  smiling;  "didn't  you  swallow 
the  paper  to  get  rid  of  the  blame  and  the  pun 
ishment  ?  But,  Meta,  we  can't  do  this  with  our 
7 


98  MET  A    WALLAC&,  OR 

sins,  for  God  takes  account  of  them  even  if  the 
world  never  suspects  us,  and  if  we  go  on  and  on 
with  praise  given  us  instead  of  blame.  So  it's 
no  use  to  hide  what  God  sees  and  will  surely 
punish  us  for  in  time.  Besides,  if  the  paper  is 
not  worth  anything,  you  will  have  done  your 
duty,  and  he  will  look  down  and  bless  you, 
deary,  for  he  knows  it's  not  easy  to  confess  our 
faults ;  and  telling  is  not  going  to  alter  it  at  all, 
or  make  it  valuable  if  it  isn't.  Do  you  see?" 

Meta  nodded  her  head. 

"  It  will  be  found  out,  you  mean,"  she  said, 
slowly,  as  she  tried  to  take  in  the  nice  difference 
between  willful  persistence  in  concealment,  and 
accidental  mischief.  "Yes,  I  suppose  it  will 
some  of  these  days,  whether  I  ever  tell  or  not. 
Oh,  I  never  did  think  of  that  before,  and  it's 
strange  I  didn't,  for  I  have  thought  over  it  so 
much  —  " 

Francois  here  approached,  '  and  interrupted 
them  unwillingly. 

"You  see  the  time,  mademoiselle,"  he  said, 
warningly  pointing  to  the  big  clock  ticking 
away  on  the  mantel ;  "  it's  a  good  ride,  too,  and 
you  have  escape  Mademoiselle  Felicie  — " 

"  Sure  enough ! "  cried  Meta,  starting  up  and 
turning  suddenly  to  Johnny.  "  God  saw  me  do 
that  too,  didn't  he  ? "  she  asked,  remorsefully. 
"  O  Johnny,  will  I  have  to  tell  FeUicie  ? " 


THE   SEEN  AND   UNSEEN. 


99 


"You  should  do  it,"  he  said,  earnestly,  as'she 
leaned  over  to  say  good-bye. 

The  child  sighed  N  ruefully  as  she  followed 
Francois  down-stairs ;  but  though  Johnny's  rea 
soning  had  convinced  her,  she  was  hardly  dis 
posed  to  follow  his  advice.  Like  many  a  wiser 
head,  she  shrunk  from  manifest  duty,  because 
there  was  mortification  and  pain  in  confession ; 
and  all  during  the  ride  homeward,  she  was  try 
ing  to  persuade  a  very  willing  agent  in  such 
matters  —  self-love  —  that  there  was  no  actual 
use  in  being  as  good  as  Johnny  was.  She 
might  have  been  worried  and  fretted  for  noth 
ing,  after  all;  and  at  any  rate  it  could  do  no 
harm  to  wait  and  see  what  came  of  it,  before 
she  acknowledged  herself  culprit.  Johnny's 
suggestion  that  it  would  be  found  out,  even 
if  she  never  told  it,  had  produced  a  directly 
opposite  effect  to  what  he  designed ;  inasmuch 
as  Meta's  conscience  took  refuge  behind  this 
possibility,  and  was  certainly  assisted  in  com 
forting  itself  by  the  very  means  that  her  young 
friend  had  intended  as  an  incentive  to  confess 
ing  her  sin. 

Meta  reached  Agneau's  in  safety,  and  was  in 
so  much  more  cheerful  a  frame  of  mind  that, 
finding  Frangois  in  some  trouble  at  having  over- 
staid  his  time,  and  old  Agneau  very  cross,  she 


IOO  META    WALLACE,  OR 

volunteered  to  run  behind  the  counter,  and  help 
tie  up  the  bundles,  as  the  shop  was  full.  Here 
she  was  standing,  very  eager  and  intent  upon 
her  novel  employment,  when  a  familiar  voice 
startled  her. 

"Agneau,"  cried  a  young  girl,  very  fashion 
ably  dressed,  "  Agneau,  give  me  a  dollar's  worth 
of  vanilla  meringues  ;  and  please  be  quick  about 
it,  for  I  am  in  a  great  hurry." 

Meta  looked    up  in  amazement,  as  Florence 

—  for   she   it   was  —  made  this   demand  in   an 

t 

imperious  tone. 

•'Well,  I  never!"  exclaimed  the  elder  sister, 
scornfully.  "  So  you're  here,  are  you  ?  I  told 
Felicie  it  wasn't  worth  while  to  worry  mamma 
with  the  information  that  you'd  run  off ;  I  knew 
you'd  turn  up  in  some  horrid  place.  But  you'd 
better  get  in  the  carriage,  miss,  and  come  along 
with  Nina  and  me.  Mamma  won't  fancy  your 
turning  shop-girl,  I  can  tell  you." 

Meta  hurriedly  threw  down  her  bundles,  and 
called  Francois,  while  Florry,  in  a  supercilious 
manner,  lectured  the  boy  for  allowing  her  sister 
to  wait  in  the  store. 

"  I  shall  certainly  inform  mamma  of  your  pre 
sumption,"  she  said,  grandly. 

Fran£ois  did  not  reply,  fearing  to  get  his  em 
ployer  into  trouble ;  and  after  some  delay  in  fill- 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  IOI 

ing  Florry's  order,  during  which  he  was  soundly 
lectured  by  that  indignant  young  woman,  the 
two  sisters  left  the  store. 

Meta's  drive  home  with  Nina  Appleton  and 
Florry  was  not  very  agreeable,  as  she  was  un 
mercifully  quizzed  about  her  recent  employ 
ment  at  Agneau's ;  but  she  bore  it  without 
much  display  of  temper. 

Felicie  was  in  a  very  bad  humor  when  she 
saw  the  truant.  Though  greatly  relieved  at  her 
safe  return,  she  was  exceedingly  wroth  at  having 
lost  her  evening's  airing,  through  the  state  of 
anxiety  she  had  been  in  from  the  time  Meta's 
loss  was  discovered  until  she  was  seen  comfort 
ably  seated  beside  Thomas  on  the  box  of  her 
mamma's  stylish  turn-out. 

It  is  fortunate  Meta's  knowledge  of  French 
was  limited,  as  a  very  torrent  of  invectives  was 
poured  out  in  that  language  as  soon  as  Felicie 
had  her  safe  in  the  nursery.  The  child  had 
great  power  of  control  over  her  tongue,  which 
was  termed  obstinacy  by  those  in  authority,  and 
often  listened  to  a  long  harangue  from  the  maid 
without  indulging  in  Florry's  accomplishment, 
"  answering  back."  One  reason  of  this  singular 
virtue  was  her  unusual  consciousness  of  her 
short-comings.  When  once  her  conscience  took 
sides  against  her,  she  endured  chastenings  very 


IO2  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

humbly ;  and  perhaps,  too,  the  knowledge  that 
rigid  silence  added  more  to  Felicie's  discomfit 
ure  than  impertinence  enabled  her  sometimes 
to  submit. 

On  the  evening  in  question,  the  advent  of  a 
visitor  from  the  far  West,  who  had  once  been  in 
Mr.  Wallace's  employ,  procured  for  the  little 
girl  the  rare  luxury  of  taking  her  place  at  the 
sumptuous  seven  o'clock  dinner.  Felicie,  de 
spite  her  sound  lecture,  was  diligently  dressing 
her  to  go  down-stairs,  and  assuring  her  that  it 
was  of  no  use  trying  to  make  anything  look 
well  on  a  child  who  had  such  queer  tastes. 
Meta  didn't  care  much  about  this,  however ;  she 
was  wishing  she  dared  disobey  mamma's  or 
ders,  and  spend  her  evening  up-stairs.  Though 
she  dearly  loved  to  dine  with  her  parents  and 
the  lively  visitors  they  generally  had,  and  did 
not  disdain  the  delicious  desserts,  the  idea  of 
meeting  a  stranger,  who  had  asked  especially 
to  see  the  children,  made  her  very  bashful  and 
averse  to  going  down.  "  Mr.  Wallace  had  not 
gone  to  Bellevue,"  Felicie  informed  her,  after 
some  urging.  "  The  gentleman  down-stairs  was 
a  ver'  great  friend  and  ver'  handsome ; "  to 
gether  with  much  more  that  the  child  did  not 
heed.  It  was  a  great  relief  to  know  that  papa 
had  not  gone,  after  all ;  for  it  helped  to  convince 


THE  SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  1 03 

her  willing  conscience  that  she  had  made  much 
ado  about  nothing.  After  some  hesitation  in  the 
hall,  Meta  entered  the  drawing-room  shyly ;  but 
no  one  noticed  her  at  all.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wal 
lace  were  gayly  chatting  with  a  handsome  mid 
dle-aged  stranger ;  and  Florry,  seated  on  a  di 
van  by  her  mother,  was  very  much  absorbed  in 
the  conversation. 

Meta  sat  down  as  far  from  the  group  as  pos 
sible,  and  would  never  have  proclaimed  herself 
had  not  the  last  bell  sounded  and  the  group  at 
the  fire  arisen.  The  stranger  stopped  in  front  of 
the  little  shy  figure  as  they  passed. 

"  And  who  is  this  little  woman,  Wallace  ?  "  he 
asked,  laying  his  hand  on  the  curly  head.  "  It 
makes  a  man  feel  old  to  see  his  years  so  well 
marked  in  the  growth  of  the  rising  generation." 

"  This  is  Meta,  our  youngest,"  said  her  father, 
smiling  encouragingly  in  the  blushing  face, 
while  Mrs.  Wallace  telegraphed  that  she  was  to 
take  her  finger  out  of  her  mouth.  Not  compre 
hending  her  mamma's  mysterious  signs  and 
nods,  poor  Meta  only  hung  on  more  resolutely 
to  the  friendly  finger,  the  biting  of  which  seemed 
to  endow  her  with  sufficient  fortitude  to  stand 
her  mamma's  frowns. 

Mrs.  W'allace,  with  a  sigh  of  chagrin  at  the 
child's  awkwardness,  looked  mournfully  in  the 


IO4  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

gentleman's  face,  and,  laying  her  hand  caress 
ingly  on  Florry's  shoulder,  exclaimed,  half- 
piteously: 

"  Ah,  Mr.  Ascher,  there  is  always  a  black 
sheep  in  the  flock  !  My  sweet  Florence  —  " 

But  Mrs.  Wallace's  observations  were  cut 
short.  At  mention  of  the  stranger's  name, 
Meta's  head  was  suddenly  jerked  from  the  kind 
hand  that  patted  the  curls,  and  its  owner  made 
an  unceremonious  departure  from  the  room. 
Mr.  Ascher  laughed  gleefully,  but  the  parents 
frowned. 

"  Meta  is  so  awkward  and  queer,"  sighed  the 
mother,  apologetically ;  but  Mr.  Ascher,  who 
seemed  to  enjoy  the  episode,  politely  smiled. 

"  Mere  childish  bashf  ulness,  dear  madam ; 
don't  trouble  yourself  to  excuse  her,  I  beg ! 
Indeed,  I  enjoy,  in  this  too  advanced  age,  a 
little  old-fashioned  exhibition  of  the  whims  of 
childhood  —  " 

"  That's  not  half  as  bad  as  what  she  did  this 
afternoon,"  interrupted  Florry,  who  was  no  re 
specter  of  age,  and  seldom  allowed  any  one  to 
finish  a  sentence. 

"  Indeed,  my  dear,  and  what  was  that  ? "  in 
quired  Mr.  Ascher,  as  he  gave  the  "  white 
sheep  "of  the  family  a  searching  gaze. 

"  Why,  she  was  actually  waiting  on  Agneau's 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  IO5 

customers,"  returned  Florry,  immensely  impor 
tant  ;  "  and  I-  had  to  lecture  that  Frangois  for 
his  presumption,  for  Meta  didn't  seem  to  think 
it  was  anything  at  all !  " 

"  Waiting  on  Agneau's  customers  ?  "  repeated 
the  mortified  mother  ;  "  surely,  Florry,  you  must 
be  mistaken." 

But  Florence  vouched  for  the  truth,  and  re 
lated  the  incident,  in  her  usual  style  of  exag 
geration,  on  the  way  to  the  dining-room.  Mr. 
Ascher  was  infinitely  amused,  and  drew  the 
"white  sheep"  out  to  her  heart's  content;  but, 
observing  that  his  host  and  hostess  were  by  no 
means  entertained  with  Florry's  revelations,  he 
politely  turned  the  conversation  into  other 
channels,  though  he  would  have  taken  great 
interest  in  Meta's  idiosyncrasies  and  her  sis 
ter's  knowledge  of  the  world. 

Meanwhile  our  little  friend,  all  unconscious 
of  the  storm  brewing,  sat  at  the  head  of  the 
stairs,  rocking  herself  to  and  fro  disconsolately, 
and  repeating  the  name  of  "Joseph  Ascher  "'in 
a  most  distressed  tone  of  voice.  Her  late  cheer 
fulness  had  vanished  at  sound  of  that  name ; 
the  signature,  in  well-known  manly  characters, 
at  the  end  of  the  paper  she  had  unfortunately 
swallowed,  loomed  up  before  her  in  all  its 
former  terrors,  and  brought  Johnny's  advice 


IO6  MET  A    WALLACE. 

painfully  to  mind.  She  did  not  dare  to  go  down 
again  with  the  consciousness  that  mamma  was 
very  angry,  nor  did  she  like  going  without  her 
dinner ;  but  of  the  two  evils  she  chose  the 
latter,  and  sat  on  the  steps  until  Florry  came 
up  to  bed,  with  the  consoling  advice  to  "  pre 
pare  for  the  worst  scolding  she  had  ever  had  in 
her  life,  for  papa  and  mamma  were  dreadfully 
angry." 

Used   as  she  was  to  Florry's  exaggerations, 
Meta  made  no  reply;  but  she  asked,   with   a 
faint  hope  that  her  ears   had  deceived   her: 
"  What  is  the  gentleman's  name,  Flo  ? " 
"  Why,  papa's  old  clerk,  Mr.  Joseph  Ascher ; 
he  is  ever  so  rich,  and  I  heard  mamma  say  that 
papa  had  put  off  his  visit  to  Bellevue,  just  to 
see  him,  for  he  is  a  great  favorite  with  both  of 
them.     So  you're  in  another  fix,  you  see  ! " 

When  Meta  knelt  down  to  say  her  prayers, 
the  first  petition  that  came  unconsciously  from 
her  heart  was: 

"  O  Lord,  take  me  to  heaven  with  Johnny ! " 
But  Meta,  like  many  grown  people,  would 
have  been  sorry  to  have  her  prayer  answered ; 
and  God,  who  "  knoweth  whereof  we  have  need  " 
before  we  ask  him,  has  not  ordained  to  answer, 
save  in  his  own  way  and  in  his  own  time. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

O  Meta's  surprise  and  relief,  nothing 
was  said  of  her  naughtiness  the  follow 
ing  day ;  and,  indeed,  the  whole  week 
passed,  and  the  predicted  scolding  never  came. 
During  this  time,  Mr.  Ascher  took  great  notice 
of  the  shy,  wondering  child,  whose  earnest  dark 
eyes  were  so  often  fixed  wistfully  on  his  face. 
He  was  so  affectionate  and  entertaining,  took 
her  to  walk  and  drive  so  kindly,  and  was  alto 
gether  so  charming,  that  Meta's  fears  gradually 
vanished.  She  ate  his  bon-bons  with  relish,  and 
was  growing  to  be  unreserved  in  his  society, 
when  one  day  she  received  a  summons  to  her 
father's  library,  and  felt  sure  that  at  last  her 
sentence  was  coming.  Tremblingly  she  entered 
the  room,  where  her  father  and  mother,  with 
their  visitor,  were  awaiting  her.  They  made 

(107) 


IO8  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

room  for  her  at  the  fire  as  she  came  shyly  for 
ward,  and  her  father  advanced  encouragingly  to 
take  her  hand.  After  some  commonplace  con 
versation,  Mr.  Wallace  began,  very  gravely  : 

"  My  daughter,  are  you  quite  old  enough  to 
make  a  choice  ?  —  " 

"  Let  me  put  the  case,  sir,"  interrupted  Mr. 
Ascher,  hastily ;  "  I  fancy  I  shall  be  successful 
with  my  young  friend." 

Mr.  Wallace  smiled  an  assent,  and  Meta,  won 
dering  what  it  could  all  mean,  was  drawn  over 
to  Mr.  Ascher's  side,  as  he  bade  her  look  in  his 
face,  and  listen  attentively. 

"  Will  you  go  with  me,  and  be  my  little  girl  ?  " 
he  asked,  anxiously,  yet  very  kindly. 

"  Forever  ? " 

The  tone  of  her  voice,  as  she  said  this,  look 
ing  the  while  in  the  tender  gray  eyes,  touched 
them  all.  Tearfully,  she  turned  a  beseeching 
face  to  her  parents. 

"  O  papa  and  mamma!  &Q  you  want  me  to  go 
away  and  be  his  little  girl,  when  I'm  your  very 
own  ? "  she  sobbed.  "  I  don't  mean  to  be  so 
bad  ;  indeed,  I  try  not !  Oh,  don't  send  me 
away  from  you  —  " 

Before  she  could  finish  her  sentence,  Mr 
Wallace,  with  a  reproachful  glance  at  his  wife, 
pressed  the  poor  little  one  to  his  heart,  as  he 
answered,  with  emotion : 


THE   SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  ICK) 

"  No,  my  daughter,  you  shall  never  leave  us, 
save  of  your  own  free  will !  Mr.  Aschef  has 
put  his  case  strongly.  He  only  wants  to  take 
you  with  him  to  Europe,  to  stay  several  years ; 
and  has  promised  you  so  many  advantages  that 
your  mamma  and  I  know  not  what  answer  to 
make.  But  you  have  decided  yourself,  my  little 
girl,  and  you  have  only  to  tell  Mr.  Ascher  that 
you  will  not  go." 

"  Pshaw  ! "  said  the  determined  Mr.  Ascher, 
as  Meta's  joyful  eyes  were  raised  anxiously  to 
his,  half  fearful  that  her  decision  had  estranged 
him.  He  walked  over  to  the  window,  visibly 
annoyed,  and  the  trio  at  the  fire  were  very  silent. 
Mr.  Wallace  was  reproaching  himself  for  the 
little  he  had  ever  done  to  endear  him  to  this  lov 
ing  nature,  which  clung,  despite  coldness  and 
neglect,  to  the  natural  ties  he  had  ignored  ;  while 
his  wife,  touched  and  softened  more  than  she 
cared  to  show,  was  yet  reflecting  on  the  great 
advantages  lost  to  the  perplexing  child  by  what 
she  termed  a  "foolish  sentimentality."  Poor 
Meta  was,  meanwhile,  doing  her  utmost  not  to 
cry,  as  she  felt  such  a  longing  to  do. 

Mr.  Ascher  presently  returned,  and,  standing 
with  his  back  to  the  fire,  looked  down  in  the 
timid  face. 

"  My  little  lady,"  he  said,  coaxingly,  "  do  you 


IIO  META    WALLACE,  OR 

know  what  you  are  refusing  ?  I  dare  say  New 
York  suits  you  well  enough  in  its  way,  but  just 
think  of  all  the  nice  things  you  could  have  with 
me !  jewels  and  dresses,  and  the  finest  dolls  and 
playthings.  You've  read  about  Paris,  haven't 
you  ?  Did  you  ever  hear  of  the  big  stores  where 
the  dolls  have  all  sorts  of  fine  clothes  made, 
just  like  your  extravagant  New  York  ladies? 
You  can  see  the  world,  and  yet  come  back 
whenever  you  get  tired  of  me.  Is  it  a  bargain  ? 
Come!" 

Meta  looked  up  into  the  kind  face  in  a 
troubled  sort  of  way. 

"I  don't  care  for  all  these  things,"  she  an 
swered,  stoutly ;  "  mamma  gives  me  heaps  of 
clothes,  and  I  am  tired  playing  with  dolls.  You 
can't  give  me  my  mamma  way  off  there ! "  And 
here,  obeying  a  sudden  impulse,  she  rah  and 
buried  her  face  on  Mrs.  Wallace's  shoulder, 
throwing  her  arms  around  her  mother's  neck. 

Mrs.  Wallace  stroked  her  hair,  but  said 
nothing.  In  very  truth  she  was  sorely  per 
plexed  ;  for  Meta  had  so  long  been  a  source  of 
•  anxiety  and  mortification  that,  though  not  de 
void  of  maternal  feeling,  she  had  hailed  Mr. 
Ascher's  unexpected  offer  to  "educate"  and 
leave  his  large  fortune  to  the  "  little  black  sheep  " 
as  a  relief  from  her  perplexity.  All  the  scru- 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  Ill 

pies  of  motherhood  were  silenced  with  the 
plausible  brilliancy  of  her  child's  future  should 
she  really  accept  the  liberal  offer;  and  she 
would  have  accepted  it,  at  once,  had  not  her 
husband  strenuously  insisted  upon  referring  the 
matter  to  his  little  daughter.  Though  fearing  a 
scene,  she  had  yielded  to  his  wish,  but  thought 
it  a  very  absurd  proceeding,  as  the  advantages 
were  so  great  that  she  had  no  scruple  in  forc 
ing  the  child's  compliance.  She  had  already 
formed  a  plan  for  Meta's  removal  from  home, 
when  Mr.  Ascher's  surprising  offer  was  made  ; 
and  had  only  put  off  the  execution  thereof  from 
that  spirit  of  procrastination  that  had  governed 
her  when  anything  disagreeable  was  to  be  done. 
Believing  that  to  yield  was  weakness,  she  did 
not  return  Meta's  suffocating  caresses,  though 
she  "felt  her  firmness  give  way  under  the  un 
looked-for  evidence  of  the  child's  ardent  love. 

Meanwhile,  as  her  curly  head  rested  on  her 
mother's  shoulder,  very  incongruous  thoughts 
were  flitting  through  the  young  brain. 

"  Oh,  what  shall  I  do  ? "  sHe  mused,  sadly. 
"  If  mamma  wants  me  to  go,  I  just  can't  help 
myself  at  all.  Oh,  I  wish  I  hadn't  been  so 
wicked  that  she  wants  to  send  me  away !  It 
must  be  mighty  nice  to  travel  all  around  with  a 
good  old  gentleman,  who  wants  to  give  you  all 


112  META    WALLACE,  OR 

kinds  of  nice  things.  I  wonder  what  he  likes 
me  for  ?  Florry  says  I  am  so  queer,  and  I  know 
I  don't  seem  a  bit  good.  I  expect  Paris  is  very 
delightful ;  Francois  says  the  people  eat  bon 
bons  every  day.  I  wonder  if  that's  the  place 
where  the  children  eat  macaroni  in  the  street. 
I  think  I'd  like  to  tell  Mr;  Ascher  all  about  that 
paper.  If  I  did  it  while  we  were  out  on  the 
ocean,  maybe  he  wouldn't  scold  a  bit ;  because 
I'm  sure  I'd  be  seasick.  Oh,  dear !  I  wonder  if 
he  could  help  me  to  be  good  ? " 

As  this  thought  came  uppermost,  she  sud 
denly  raised  her  head,  and  looked  at  him  at 
tentively. 

"Wallace,"  cried  Mr.  Ascher,  catching  the 
doubtful  glance,  "  we  will  leave  this  choice  for  a 
day  or  two,  to  let  the  little  brain  take  it  all  in  ! 
And  now,  do  you  tell  her  the  alternative,  that 
she  may  judge  fairly." 

Mrs.  Wallace,  very  much  relieved  at  the  idea, 
gave  Meta  a  letter  she  had  held  in  her  hand, 
and  bade  her  open  and  read  it.  Wonderingly, 
the  child  obeyed*,  and  read  as  follows : 

Glencffve   Hall,    January  — . 
MY  DEAR  ALICIA: 

I  will  very  gladly  take  charge  of  your  young  daughter  for 
any  length  of  time  you  may  desire.  With  us  she  will  only  find 
a  plain,  comfortable  home,  but  there  are  many  educational  ad- 


THE  SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  \\^ 

vantages  which  I  am  sure  will  outweigh  the  absence  of  those 
luxuries  to  which  she  has  been  accustomed.  For  the  terms 
of  my  school,  I  enclose  a  circular.  Mrs.  Leslie  bids  me  send 
her  kind  greetings,  and  to  assure  you  that  she  will  do  all  in 
her  power  to  Supply  your  place.  I  trust  you  will  decide  to 
send  the  child,  as  I  feel  assured  of  the  advantage  to  her  of 
good  country  fare,  and  freedom  from  those  restraints  which  it 
is  impossible  to  avoid  in  your  position.  Awaiting  your  decis 
ion  in  the  matter, 

Your  affectionate  kinsman, 

SIDNEY  LESLIE. 


Meta  read  the  letter  in  silence,  though  her 
cheek  flushed,  and  the  sensitive  mouth  quivered 
warningly.  Mrs.  Wallace  allowed  a  passion  of 
tears  to  exhaust  itself  in  her  arms,  and  then, 
telling  Meta  that  she  need  not  decide  just  then, 
led  her  from  the  room  gently. 

In  the  entry  she  met  Felicie,  who  at  once 
took  her  captive  up-stairs,  where  Florence 
awaited  the  result  of  the  long  conference  in  a 
high  state  of  curiosity.  Meta  was  entertained 
with  an  enlivening  account  of  the  delights 
awaiting  her  if  she  went  with  Mr.  Ascher  to 
Europe,  and  the  horrors  of  ar "  poking  country 
school,"  as  Florry  dignified  it. 

"  You  are  a  little  goose,  Meta,"  she  said,  with 

her  usual  candor.     "  I  wish  I  had  known  Mr. 

Ascher's  tastes  better.     Why,  it's  worth  playing 

shop-girl,  to  have  such  a  rich  man  wanting  to 

8 


114  META    WALLACE. 

give  you  all  his  money!  You'd  be  worth  even 
more  than  papa,  I  reckon,  and  oceans  more  than 
poor  me.  Why  on  earth  don't  you  go,  child  ? 
You  won't  find  that  horrible  Leslie  school  any 
great  things,  I  tell  you  !  " 

"  But  then  you  know,  Florry,  mamma  may  let 
me  stay  at  home  altogether — " 

"  But  who  would  stay  poking  at  home  when 
they  could  go  to  Paris,  and  wear  kid  gloves  in 
the  morning,  and  eat  biscuits  glacts  whenever 
they  felt  like  it?" 

"  I  don't  want  to  go  to  Paris,  for  I  don't  know 
anybody  there  !  I'd  rather  —  " 

"  Live  and  die  a  savage !  I  believe  you 
would.  All  I  can  say  is,  you're  a  great  little 
goose,  and  I  hope  you'll  find  congenial  society 
at  old  Father  Leslie's !  " 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

HE  week  allotted  to  Meta  for  a  decision 
passed  off  quickly,  and  yet  she  had 
never  been  so  thoughtful  before  in  her 
short  life.  Anxiety  to  follow  in  Johnny's  diffi 
cult  footsteps  fought  hard  with  the  alluring 
visions  of  future  greatness  held  up  daily  by  the 
eloquent  Felicie,  and  made  very  substantial  by 
the  present  luxuries  and  privileges  Mr.  Ascher's 
offer  had  brought  her.  Whenever  she  felt  in 
clined  to  thrust  away  the  temptation  of  being 
petted  and  spoiled,  and  thought  of  Johnny's  very 
different  aspirations,  the  disagreeable  reflection 
that  she  was  deciding  between  Europe  and  a 
boarding-school  made  her  resolutions  to  give  it 
all  up  very  wavering  and  uncertain.  In  a  long, 
serious  talk  with  mamma,  she  was  made  to  see 
that,  failing  to  go  with  Mr.  Ascher,  she  was  con- 

(115) 


Il6  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

demning  herself  to  a  far  more  trying  separation 
from  all  she  loved ;  and  this  went  far  toward 
inclining  her  to  what  seemed  the  evident  wish 
of  the  household.  For  the  first  time  in  her  life, 
she  was  the  object  of  special  interest  to  the 
whole  family;  and  even  among  her  sister's 
friends  she  found  herself  suddenly  elevated 
from  the  '•'  queer  little  girl,  who  actually  waited 
in  Agneau's  shop,"  to  "  that  fortunate  child  of 
the  Wallace's,  whom,  they  say,  Mr.  Ascher  is 
going  to  leave  his  millions  to."  Even  Fdlicie 
changed,  and  never  attempted  to  thwart  or 
scold;  while  Florry  lost  no  opportunity  of  hold 
ing  forth  on  the  superior  good  fortune  that  had 
fallen  to  her  sister's  lot. 

Meta  found  it  very  pleasant  to  drive  about 
with  Mr.  Ascher,  and  partake  of  the  nice 
lunches  and  boxes  of  candy  v/hich  his  partiality 
provided.  She  enjoyed,  too,  her  evenings  in 
the  drawing-room,  where  she  saw  so  many  funny 
people,  and  heard  all  about  the  great  world  out 
side.  She  began  to  feel  that  there  was  some 
thing  altogether  delightful  in  having  somebody 
anxious  to  adopt  her,  and  the  whole  household 
so  gracious  and  *  condescending;  she  could  but 
think  of  the  probable  dolefulness  of  her  cousin's 
school,  in  contrast  to  all  this,  and  it  had  its 
natural  effect. 


THE  SEEN  AND   UNSEEN. 


Mr.  Aschcr's  offer  .had  been  made  known  to 
her  on  Thursday.  On  the  following  Sabbath,  it 
occurred  to  the  little  girl  —  as  the  quiet  day, 
bringing  a  momentary  cessation  of  her  pleas 
ures,  reminded  her  of  more  serious  things  —  to 
ask  her  kind  friend  something  about  Johnny's 
ideas  of  duty,  and  discover  if  he  might  not  help 
her  to  find  the  gates  of  the  Golden  City.  As 
they  walked  along  Fifth  avenue  on  the  way  to 
church,  she  suddenly  thought  of  this  requisite 
in  the  ne.w  friendship,  and  glanced  up  in  the 
gentleman's  face,  to  see  if  he  looked  like  John 
ny's  description  of  one  who  is  "reaching  for 
ward  unto  those  things  that  are  above."  The 
expression  of  the  face  puzzled  her,  and  she  was 
not  encouraged  in  the  hope  that  he  was  any 
thing  like  Johnny's  pattern  when,  during  the 
church  service,  Mr.  Ascher  never  once  opened 
his  book,  but  sat  with  his  arms  over  the  back  of 
the  pew,  making  evident  mental  comments  on 
the  people  near  him  ;  nor  later,  when  he  turned 
to  look  at  the  pretty  faces  in  the  choir,  after  a 
particularly  fine  chorus  ;  nor  when,  during  the 
sermon,  he  examined  critically,  with  his  walking 
cane,  the  end  of  his  highly  p"olished  boot,  and 
hid  a  yawn  behind.his  gloved  hand. 

^"  I  know  Johnny  would  never  behave  so  in 
church,"  thought  Mcta,  as  she  made  her  exami- 


Il8  META    WAI. LACE,  OR 

nation  of  her  unconscious  friend  ;  "  I  am  afraid 
it's  very  bad  in  Mr.  Ascher  to  look  behind  him, 
and  yawn  so  often  ;  yet  lies  good,  if  anybody 
is." 

At  last  the  grand  organ  pealed  out  the  final 
aria,  and  the  congregation  arose.  When  they 
were  outside  on  the  crowded  pavement,  Meta, 
after  a  long  silence,  suddenly  addressed  her 
companion. 

"  Mr.  Ascher,"  she  said,  timidly,  "  do  you 
know  the  way  to  heaven  ? " 

Her  friend,  startled,  looked  curiously  in  the 
earnest,  upturned  face. 

"  Why  do  you  ask,  Meta  ?  " 

"  Oh,  just  because  I  think  it's  a  very  hard 
thing  to  understand,  sir ;  and  Johnny  is  going 
so  soon  that  I  want  to  find  somebody  else  who 
knows  the  way." 

"And  who  is  Johnny?  And  what  does  he 
know  about  heaven?"  asked  Mr.  Ascher, 
smiling  down  on  her. 

"  Why,  he  is  the  poor  little  sick  boy,  that  God 
has  promised  a  new  body!  I  forgot  I  had  never 
told  you,  but  I've  been  so  busy  since  you  came, 
you  see."  And  she  forthwith  gave  an  account 
of  Johnny :  his  hopes,  his  cheerfulness,  his  long 
sickness,  and  the  beautiful  things  he  had  told 
her  about  the  spiritual  body  to  which  he  looked 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  I  IQ 

forward  with  such  confidence.  "  T  just  don't 
understand  it  all,"  she  said,  confidentially,  "but 
Johnny  is  perfectly  sure.  He  isn't  a  bit  afraid 
of  dying,  and  going  down  in  the  dark  ground. 
I  would  be  ;  wouldn't  you,  Mr.  Ascher  ? " 

But  Mr.  Ascher  did  not  reply.  His  face  was 
quite  turned  away  from  those  eager  eyes,  and 
Meta,  too  earnest  in  her  enthusiastic  love  for 
Johnny,  did  not  stop  to  heed  his  silence,  but 
continued  her  artless  story. 

"  I  asked  him  to  tell  me  how  to  be  good,  too, 
and  he  did  say  a  great  many  beautiful  things ; 
but  I  think  it's  mighty  hard  to  believe  what  you 
can't  see,  don't  you  ? " 

"Very  hard,"  assented  her  listener,  his  face 
still  turned  away. 

"  Then  you  don't  think  you  could  help  me, 
do  you  ?  "  she  asked,  doubtfully ;  "  I  mean,  if  I 
went  with  you,  and  staid  with  you  until  I  grew 
to  be  a  woman,  could  you  help  me  to  find  out 
what  Johnny  means,  and  how  he  can  be  so  glad 
to  die,  when  I  don't  think  I  could  without  being 
so  afraid  ?  Oh,  if  you  only  could  help  me,  I 
would  so  like  to  go  with  you  to  Europe." 

The  earnest  tone  made  Mr.  Ascher  wince. 
He  looked  steadfastly  down  in  the  face,  raised 
beseechingly  to  his,  and  his  heart  failed  him. 
Could  he  dare  to  chill  back  these  longings  with 


I2O  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

his  own  cold  skepticism  ?  to  tell  the  child,  who 
had  so  strangely  interested  him  and  completely 
won  his  love,  that  he  had  nothing  but  the 
world's  wealth  to  offer  her,  no  treasure  laid  up 
beyond  the  reach  of  moth  or  rust  ?  Man  of  the 
world  as  he  was,  and  long  used  to  rejecting 
faith  in  God  as  well  as  in  human  nature,  he  had 
not  the  courage  to  answer  those  searching  ques 
tions  with  the  scoffing  laugh,  and  proclaim  his 
unbelief  and  ungodliness.  But  Meta  gathered 
something  of  the  truth  from  his  silent,  sorrow 
ful  gaze,  and  instantly  a  cloud  fell  upon  the  ex 
pressive  face.  Fearing  to  encounter  the  disap 
pointed  eyes,  Mr.  Ascher  set  himself  to  work 
to  change  the  current  of  her  thoughts ;  but  she 
felt  he  was  evading  her,  and  a  feeling  of  loneli 
ness  and  regret  prevented  the  ready  speech, 
and  made  her,  for  once,  a  silent  listener  to  the 
entertaining  stories  he  told  so  well. 

The  feeling  of  intense  disappointment  made 
her  very  grave  all  through  the  quiet  evening; 
and,  though  she  did  not  leave  Mr.  Ascher's  side, 
and  tried  to  take  the  same  interest  in  his  charm 
ing  flow  of  talk,  she  could  not  resist  the  convic 
tion  that,  kind  and  good  as  he  undoubtedly  was, 
her  friend  was  rejecting  the  one  only  way  by 
which  he  could  follow  in  Johnny's  difficult  foot 
steps,  and  enter  into  the  joy  of  the  Lord. 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEENS  121 

As  the  family  laughed  and  chatted  over  their 
coffee,  next  morning,  the  dining-room  door  was 
suddenly  burst  open,  and  Meta  rushed  impetu 
ously  in. 

"  Oh,  mamma,"  she  cried,  breathlessly, 
"  Bridget  is  up-stairs !  She  has  come  for  me 
to  go  and  see  poor  Johnny!  He's  dying,  she 
says,  and  asked  for  me.  Oh,  I-  am  so  very 
sorry,  mamma !  " 

The  child's  head  was  laid  on  the  mother's 
shoulder,  and  she  burst  into  a  passion  of  tears, 
sobbing  convulsively  as  she  finished  the  sad 
intelligence.  Mrs.  Wallace  was  startled  and 
somewhat  provoked.  Would  Mr.  Ascher  ap 
prove  these  plebeian  tastes  ? 

"  Where  is  Bridget  ?  "  she  asked,  in  some  per 
plexity  how  to  act.  "This  is  the  third  or  fourth 
time  I  have  been  deceived  into  believing  the 
boy  about  to  die.  I'd  better  inquire  into  the 
facts,  Meta ;  you  are  so  very  impetuous,  remem 
ber!" 

She  arose  to  leave  the  room,  looking  very 
uncompromising ;  but  before  she  reached  the 
door,  Meta  seized  Mr.  Ascher's  hands,  and 
eagerly  implored  him  to  "  beg  mamma." 

"  I  will  go  with  you,  and  be  your  little  girl," 
she  pleaded ;  "  I  will  do  anything  you  want,  if 
you  will  only  make  mamma  say  yes." 


122  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

"But  if  I  don't  want  you  to  come,  just  for 
Johnny's  sake,  what  then  ? "  he  asked,  gravely. 

"  Oh,  you  know  it  isn't  that,"  she  returned, 
reproachfully ;  "  I  do  love  you,  and  want  to  be 
your  little  friend,  and  to  decide  as  mamma 
wishes ;  only  I  was  afraid  I  cared  too  much 
about  such  things.  Don't  make  me  tell  you 
now,  for  Bridget  says  we  haven't  much  time. 
Oh,  Mr.  Ascher,  if  you  will  only  ask  mamma 
for  me !  " 

Mrs.  Wallace  glanced  uneasily  at  her  visitor, 
as  he  hesitated  an  instant. 

"  Will  you  permit  it  ? "  he  asked,  gravely  ; 
"  Meta  has  told  me  enough  to  make  the  boy 
quite  an  object  of  interest  to  me.  I  will  accom 
pany  her  if  you  like." 

Seeing  her  cause  so  well  espoused,  Meta  did 
not  wait  for  her  mother's  spoken  consent,  read 
ing  in  her  eyes  that  permission  was  accorded, 
and  ran  out  of  the  room  in  search  of  Bridget. 
But  the  girl  was  already  gone.  She  had  only 
left  her  brother  at  his  repeated  desire  that  Meta 
should  be  summoned  for  a  last  good-bye,  and 
did  not  stay  longer  than  was  necessary  to 
deliver  the  message  and  leave  the  address. 

When  Meta  returned  to  her  mother  and  Mr. 
Ascher,  she  found  them  talking  of  indifferent 
subjects,  and  even  laughing  as  if  nothing  had 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  12$ 

happened.  Disappointed  and  indignant,  she 
looked  tearfully  out  of  the  window  until  the 
carriage  was  announced,  shocked  that  her  friend 
could  so  quietly  hear  the  news  of  Johnny's 
speedy  departure,  while  she  was  so  greatly 
grieved.  But  when,  during  the  drive,  her  hand 
was  tenderly  drawn  through  Mr.  Ascher's  arm, 
and  held  in  mute  expression  of  the  sympathy 
he  did  not  utter,  she  was  comforted,  and  was 
encouraged  to  lean  her  head  on  the  friendly^ 
shoulder  to  hide  her  tears. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

HE     winter     sunshine      streamed     in 
through    the    open    blinds,    and    Mrs. 
Hale's     plain    room    fairly    glistened 
with  sunbeams. 

Johnny  no  longer  sat  in  the  invalid  chair,  but 
lay  in  a  little  cot  near  the  fire ;  his  long,  thin 
hands  folded  quietly  over  the  snowy  counter 
pane,  and  the  black  lashes  on  his  poor  cheek 
making  the  wan,  pale  face  still  more  painful  to 
see.  Bridget  sat  at  his  side,  wiping  the  moist 
forehead  tenderly,  and  wetting  the  dry  lips 
with  water.  Her  face  was  inflamed  with  weep 
ing,  and  her  mouth  quivered  when  Meta's  af 
fectionate  caress  recalled  her  from  the  sad  task 
of  ministering  for  the  last  time  to  the  sweet, 
patient  little  sufferer  she  had  'so  tenderly  loved. 
The  opiates  given  for  many  days  by  the  kind- 
(124) 


THE   SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  12$ 

hearted  doctor  had  clouded  the  last  hours, 
though  they  had  conquered  the  penalty  of  pain. 
The  boy  was  only  conscious  at  intervals,  suffer 
ing  comparatively  little,  and  sleeping  quietly 
through  his  last  mortal  experience.  When  he 
did  arouse  ftom  the  fas>growing  stupor,  it  was 
with  such  a  smiling,  grateful  face,  as  he  thanked 
his  untiring  sister  for  some  little  attention,  and 
with  so  much  of  his  old,  cheerful  buoyancy,  that 
he  gave  scant  evidence  of  the  near  approach  of 
death.  His  "  patient  continuance  in  well-doing  " 
had  brought  already  a  reward  of  peace. 

Though  he  had  so  earnestly  desired  to  take 
leave  of  his  little  friend,  he  was  not  conscious 
of  her  coming  for  some  time  after  the  entrance 
of  the  party.  Meta  had  buried  her  face  in  the 
bed-clothes,  and  was  sobbing  bitterly,  when  he 
awoke  from  his  stupor  for  a  few  moments,  and 
swallowed  the  stimulant  that  Bridget  held  to  his 
lips. 

"Oh,  poor  Johnny  !"  cried  the  child,  involun 
tarily,  as  the  fading  eyes  fixed  themselves  on 
her  face. 

A  glad  smile  lighted  up  the  dying  features. 

"  No,  not  that,"  he  said,  slowly ;  "  rich  Johnny, 
happy  Johnny,  going  4iome  to  his  Father's  king 
dom  !  O  Meta,  I  so  longed  to  see  you  once 
more !  I  want  you  to  see  that  He  is  faithful  to 


126  META    WALLACE,  OR 

the  end  —  to  the  end  !  You  know  the  promise  : 
'  I  will  never,  no,  never,  no,  never  forsake.'  " 

Meta  sobbed  bitterly  as  the  faltering  accents 
reached  her,  and  the  sound  of  her  grief  seemed 
to  cast  a  shadow  over  his  triumphant  face. 

"  There,"  he  murmured  softly  to  himself  — 
"  there,  there  will  be  neither  sorrow,  nor  crying, 
nor  any  more  pain  !  Thanks  be  to  God,  which 
iveth  us  the  victory !  " 

The  eyes  were  soon  half  closed,  and  he 
breathed  quietly  in  a  fitful  slumber,  again  under 
the  influence  of  the  opiate.  A  long  silence  en 
sued,  which  no  one  cared  to  break.  Mrs.  Wal 
lace,  very  uncomfortable  at  her  near  view  of 
death  and  eternity,  most  anxiously  waited  an 
opportunity  of  rousing  Meta  without  disturbing 
Johnny's  slumber  Mr.  Ascher,  curious  and 
interested,  was  yet  nervous.  He  had  seen  a 
great  many  people  die,  but  this  boy's  death 
touched  him  strangely.  After  a  long  silence, 
when  Mrs.  Wallace  had  at  last  roused  Meta's 
attention  and  motioned  her  to  leave,  Johnny 
again  aroused.  His  faculties  seemed  more 
alive  as  the  affectionate  child  bent  over  him, 
and  he  smiled  as  he  stroked  her  hand. 

"  I  have  something  here  for  you,"  he  whis 
pered  ;  "  something  for  you  to  keep  when  I  am 
gone." 


THE   SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  I2/ 

"The  Bible,  dear  Johnny?" 

"  Yes,  and  more  besides."  Feeling  under  his 
pillow,  feebly,  he  drew  out  a  paper,  written  in 
large,  unformed  letters.  "  I've  had  it  for  you  a 
long  time,"  he  said,  in  a  low,  weak  voice ;  "  I 
wrote  it  before  I  got  so  bad.  Read  me  the 
precious  promises  once  more  ! " 

Meta  took  the  paper,  and  tried  to  do  as  he 
requested ;  but  her  voice  was  too  full  of  tears 
for  reading.  Turning  beseechingly  to  Mr. 
Ascher,  who  stood  near,  she  begged  him  to 
gratify  poor  Johnny,  and  again  knelt  down  be 
side  the  cot.  Mr.  Ascher  took  the  crumpled 
sheet,  and,  after  glancing  uneasily  over  the  con 
tents,  read  out  slowly  the  following  sentences, 
which  the  boy,  with  much  labor,  had  written 
from  time  to  time,  as  a  legacy  to  his  little 
friend : 

" '  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor  and  are 
heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest." 

" '  My  yoke  is  easy,  and  my  burden  is  light.' 

" '  Ye  would  aot  come  unto  me  that  ye  might 
have  life.' 

" '  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth  from 
all  sin.' 

" '  Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  in  my  name, 
that  will  I  do.' 

"  '  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me 
and  drink.' 


128  META    IV ALL  ACE,  OR 

"'He  that  hath   the  Son,  hath  life.'  .  .  . 

" '  Jesus  Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save 
sinners.' 

" '  Be  not  faithless,  but  believing.  .  .  .  All 
things  are  possible  to  him  that  believcth.' 

" '  I  am  the  resurrection  and  the  life :  he  that 
believeth  in  me,  though  he  were  dead,  yet  shall 
he  live.' 

" '  He  that  cometh  unto  me,  I  will  in  no  wise 
cast  out.'  " 

There  were  many  more  sentences ;  but  before 
Mr.  Ascher  had  read  these,  Johnny  had  dropped 
off  in  another  doze ;  and  as  he  observed  it,  he 
handed  the  paper  to  Meta,  and  walked  away. 

"  Hidden  from  the  wise  and  prudent,  yet  re 
vealed  unto  babes,"  thought  Mr.  Ascher,  uncon 
sciously  condemning  himself  out  of  the  Book 
whose  claims  he  had  so  often  and  ingeniously 
disputed.  "  After  all,  is  it  not  better  to  have 
this  faith  and  die  deceived,  than  live  without 
hope,  scoffing,  faithless,  yet  condemned  by  the 
lips  of  innocent  inexperience,  and  made  to  feel 
the  fallacy  of  human  judgment  by  the  best  ref 
utation  in  the  world  —  a  dying  bed  made  full  of 
glory  ?  Woe  is  me,  if  I  do  aught  to  implant 
my  miserable,  self-reliant  pride  in  that  sweet, 
faithful  soul !  " 

Meta,  at  a  motion  from  her  mamma,  kissed 


THE  SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  1 2Q 

the  poor  wasted  hands,  and  whispered  a  tearful 
good-bye  to  Johnny ;  but  the  dull  ears  heard 
not. 

Then  they  quietly  stole  from  the  room,  fol 
lowed  by  Mrs.  Hale,  who  wished  to  see  her 
visitors  down-stairs;  but  Mrs.  Wallace  stopped 
her  in  the  entry.  The  good  woman  was  very 
sorrowful  as  she  spoke  of  the  child's  goodness 
and  the  loss  he  would  be  to  her  lonely  life. 

"  I  never  had  child  of  my  own,  madam,"  she 
sighed,  "and  this  poor  lad  has  been  like  my 
own  flesh  anc}  blood.  Bless  the  boy  !  he's  been 
a  comfort  and  a  help  to  me,  in  truth." 

"  Has   he   suffered  much  ? " 

"O  ma'am,  the  like  of  it  I  never  saw  before;' 
but  he's  bore  it  well,  poor  lamb ! " 

Mrs.  Wallace  took  out  her  purse,  and  handed 
the  woman  a  bill. 

"  To  purchase  what  he  may  need,"  she  said, 
as  the  nurse  looked  at  her  inquiringly. 

"  Ah  !  he'll  not  need  much,  nor  long,"  sighed 
Mrs.  Hale,  sadly,  as  she  gratefully  thanked 
Mrs.  Wallace,  and  went  back  to  her  vigils  in 
the  sick-room. 

Once  more  in  the  fresh,  keen  air,  Mrs.  Wal 
lace's  spirits  revived.     She  had  been  very  much 
saddened  and  subdued  by  her  visit  to  the  dying 
boy,  and,  though  pride  had  restrained  her  from 
9 


I3O  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

* 

obeying  the  impulse  she  felt,  of  saying  a  few 
cheery  words  to  the  young  journeyer,  she  had 
not  felt  less  tender  pity  for  him  in  her  heart. 

But,  though  touched  and  impressed  by  the 
scenes  she  had  witnessed,  her  nature  did  not 
long  retain  serious  impressions ;  and,  after  a 
few  moments  of  sober  thought,  she  laughed 
and  chatted  with  Mr.  Ascher  as  though  noth 
ing  unusual  had  occurred. 

Meta  was  very  silent  during  the  drive  home, 
clutching  Johnny's  paper  in  her  hand,  as  if 
some  one  were  about  to  run  away  with  her  leg 
acy,  and  pondering  in  the  depths  of  her  young 
soul  the  mysterious  journey  her  little  friend  was 
about  to  take.  As  they  drove  along,  she  sud 
denly  remembered  that  the  precious  gift,  his 
own  time-worn  Bible,  had  been  forgotten.  She 
eagerly  implored  her  mamma  to  turn  back,  but 
Mrs.  Wallace  assured  her  it  was  quite  impos 
sible,  promising  to  send  to  Bridget  for  the 
book;  and  with  this  she  was  forced  to  be 
content. 

The  rest  of  the  day  passed  drearily  enough  to 
the  child,  whose  thoughts  were  all  with  Johnny; 
but  Mr.  Ascher,  seeing  her  preoccupied  state 
of  mind,  took  her,  after  luncheon,  for  one  of  his 
famous  walks,  and  was  so  loving  and  kind  that 
she  felt  comforted.  It  was  during  this  walk 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN. 


that  she  confided  her  ignorance  of  the  precise 
meaning  of  Johnny's  sentences,  though  she 
meant  to  look  for  every  one  in  her  Bible,  when 
she  got  it  from  Bridget. 

"  Johnny  is  one  of  Christ's  lambs,  isn't  he, 
Mr.  Ascher?"she  asked,  as  they  sat  together 
in  Union  square. 

Mr.  Ascher  replied,  hesitatingly,  "  Yes,  I  sup 
pose  so." 

At  this,  Meta  drew  out  her  paper,  which  she 
had  safely  stowed  away  in  her  pocket,  and  be 
gan  to  comment  upon  it  in  her  own  way  : 

"  Do  you  know,  sir,  that  Johnny  wouldn't 
change  places  with  a  king  ?  How  can  he  be  so 
certain  that  God  will  give  him  a  new  body,  and 
wipe  all  the  tears  from  his  eyes  ?  Who  told 
him  that  everything  in  the  Bible  is  true  ?  " 

Fortunately  for  Mr.  Ascher,  Meta's  questions 
did  not  wait  for  answers,  for  he  was  at  a  loss 
what  to  say.  He  could  not  explain  the  undoubt- 
ing  faith  of  the  sick  boy,  which  was  such  a  puz 
zle  to  him,  nor  could  he  bring  himself  to  confess 
to  his  little  friend  that  to  him  these  sentences 
meant  nothing  and  brought  no  convincing 
peace.  He  desired  much  to  retain  his  place  in 
her  grateful  love,  yet  dared  not  come  between 
the  young  soul,  struggling  feebly  into  the  light 
and  knowledge  of  truth,  and  that  faith  so  far 


132  META    WALLACE,  OR 

beyond  his  comprehension.  And  so,  as  all  he 
could  have  said  would  only  have  added  to  her 
perplexity  by  fostering  doubt,  he  said  nothing. 

When  Meta  found  that  the  subject  so  engross- 
ingly  interesting  to  her  was  distasteful  to  her 
friend,  she  ceased  to  appeal  to  him,  and  sat  very 
silent  and  thoughtful  beside  him. 

"  Well,  little  one,"  said  Mr.  Ascher,  at  length, 
"  we  must  be  going  now.  The  air  is  too  chill 
for  you,  and  your  mamma  will  think  I  am  very 
thoughtless  to  keep  you  so  long  in  these  wintry 
winds.  Tuck  your  cloak  well  about  you,  and  let 
us  start." 

As  they  walked  along  homeward,  very  si 
lently,  Mr.  Ascher,  after  a  long  pause,  took  the 
little  hand  in  his,  and  pressed  it  affectionately. 

"  Meta,"  he  said,  gravely,  "  I  am  very  sorry 
you  cannot  go  with  me  to  Europe,  as  I 
hoped—" 

"  But  I  don't  know,"  she  interrupted  ;  "  I  think 
maybe  you  can  help  me  better  than  anybody 
here !  I  do  love  you  ever  so  much,  and  I  want 
to  go." 

"  I  cannot  take  you,"  he  replied,  sorrowfully. 

"  Not  take  me  ?  Oh,  what  have  I  done  to 
make  you  angry  with  poor  me  ?  Don't  you 
want  me  to  be  your  little  girl  ?  " 

"  More  than  anything  else  in  the  world,"  he 


THE  SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  133 

said,  very  tenderly  ;  "but  I  shall  not  take  you, 
for  all  that.  My  poor  little  one,  I  have  a  sad 
story  to  tell  you,  but  you  must  listen  and  for 
give  me.  Meta,  I  am  an  unbelieving,  worldly 
man,  and  have  no  hopes  of  that  heaven  you 
are  so  anxious  to  reach.  I  have  not  the  courage 
to  teach  your  young  soul  the  bitter  truths  that 
I  have  found  in  life,  and  I  dare  not  undertake 
to  solve  your  doubts,  when  I  have  no  faith 
myself ! " 

Mr.  Ascher's  voice  was  quite  husky  and  un 
like  itself ;  but  Meta,  though  she  felt  the  change, 
never  knew  how  much  it  had  cost  the  proud 
heart  to  acknowledge  to  innocence  and  trust 
the  unbelief  it  had  never  deplored  till  now. 
She  was  a  little  frightened,  and  a  great  deal 
concerned;  but  she  could  not  divine  his  strug 
gles,  nor  appreciate  the  motive  that  had  bidden 
him  renounce  the  dearest  scheme  of  his  heart 
through  very  fear. 

"  O  sir,"  she  exclaimed,  half  afraid  of  her 
own  temerity,  "  O  sir,  don't  you  love  God  just 
a  little  ?  I  think  we  might  find  the  way  to 
gether,  if  we  only  tried  !  " 

The  proud,  self-reliant  heart  was  greatly 
touched. 

"  My  little  girl,"  he  said,  brokenly,  "  I  am  an 
old  man,  and  have  seen  long  years  of  prosperity 


X34  AfETA  WALLACE,  OK 

and  worldly  gain,  yet  I  have  r,evcr  thanked  God 
for  the  least  of  his  gifts.    Do  you  think  I  could 
instruct  you,  when  I  know  nothing  myself?     I 
might  offeryou  of  this  world's  treasure  and  joys 
but  oh,  my  sweet  child,  I  can  never  help  you  to 
that  faith  you  long  to  acquire,  nor  teach  you  one 
footstep  in  the  difficult  path  you  desire  to  tread 
-  here  is  no  hope  of  such  things  for  me  ! " 

Meta  was  awed  by  the  confession.     Could  it 
be   that   her   good,   gentle,   benevolent    friend 
lacked   the  "one   thing   needful?"      She   had 
heard  Johnny  read  of  the  great  truth  that  there 
is  but  one  door  to  the  sheep-fold,  and  all  who 
would  enter  must  "come  in  thereat;"  but  she 
did  not  comprehend  just  then  that  neither  gen 
tleness,  nor   benevolence,  nor   all  the   virtues 
availed   aught  unless  founded  on  faith  in  that 
Christ  whose  "  blood  cleanseth  from    all  sin." 
In  her  childish  sympathy,  she  set  herself  to 
:omfort  him,  unfolding,  in  her  frank  attempts  at 
consolation,  that,  so  far  as  her  own  heart  was 
oncerned,  she  would  gladly  decide  to  accom- 
pany  him  ;  and  revealing,  too,  by  her  confession 
f  all   her  struggles,  that,  though    groping  in 
twihght  shadows,  the  precious  seed  had  taken 
deep  root  in  her   heart. 

Mr.  Ascher  had  never  been  so  tempted.     Her 
great  tenderness  and  sympathy  for  his  misfor- 


THE  SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  135 

tune  in  not  being  able  to  believe,  and  the  warm 
affection  so  apparent  in  everything  she  said, 
made  it  very  hard  to  thrust  out  from  his  lonely 
life  this  bright,  happy  child-nature,  which  he 
felt  would  influence  him  to  good.  But  he  had 
already  decided  the  limit  of  his  power,  and  re 
sisted  the  yearnings  he  felt  to  take  her  to  his 
heart,  to  be  his  one  treasure  among  his  kind, 
his  own  precious  ewe  lamb.  Though  it  was 
very  easy  to  convince  the  world  that  the  advan 
tages  he  could  offer  transcended  any  scruples 
he  might  have,  yet  in  his  inmost  soul  he  knew 
better.  Her  lot  had  snares  and  pitfalls  enough ; 
she  should  not  be  tried  beyond  her  strength  by 
such  a  right  of  the  world  and  its  pleasures  as 
his  wealth  could  procure  her.  He  would  not 
offer  temptations ;  he  dared  not  add  a  feather's 
weight  to  the  struggling  earth-bound  spirit 
which  so  pined  and  longed  to  be  free. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

REAT  was  the  astonishment  of  his 
host  and  hostess  when  Mr.  Ascher 
announced  his  determination  to  leave 
the  city  at  once,  and  declined  the  guardian 
ship  of  the  child,  which  he  had  been  so  very 
eager  to  assume. 

"  I  owe  you  an  explanation  and  apology,"  he 
said,  regretfully,  as  Mrs.  Wallace  did  not  attempt 
to  hide  her  annoyance ;  "  I  am  exceedingly  self- 
reproached  for  ever  making  the  offer.  The 
child's  visible  reluctance  and  my  own  sense  of 
incompetency  have  decided  me  to  decline  the 
charge  of  my  sweet  little  Meta.  I  trust  to  hear 
of  her  well-doing  from  time  to  time,  and,  as  I 
am  sensible  how  very  vacillating,  and  even  in 
excusable,  I  must  appear,  I  beg  you  will  allow 
me  to  settle  upon  Meta,  at  once,  such  share  of 
(136) 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  137 

my  property  as  she  would  have  received  had  all 
gone  as  I  desired.  Pray  do  not  add  to  my  re 
gret  by  a  refusal !  " 

'  But  this  proposition  Mr.  Wallace  instantly 
and  coldly  rejected.  "  He  had  sufficient  of  his 
own  to  make  ample  provision  for  Meta,"  he 
assured  Mr.  Ascher,  pointedly,  "and  was  sorry 
he  had  ever  countenanced  the  idea  of  separa 
tion." 

The  change  in  his   host's   manner   was   too 
marked  not  to  be  felt  by  Mr.  Ascher;  but,  ac 
knowledging  inwardly  the  justice  of  Mr.  Wal 
lace's  chagrin,  he  proceeded  to  inform  them  of 
his   real   reason  for  withdrawing   his    petition: 
"that   further  intercourse  with   the  child    had 
brought  him  face  to  face  with   such  purity  of 
soul,  and  such   desire  after  holiness,   that   he 
felt  he  was  no  fit  guardian  for  such  a  nature, 
and  he  dared  not  undertake  the  responsibility." 
There  was  marked  incredulity  on  both  faces 
as  he  said  this;  Mr.  Wallace  giving  him  credit 
for  some  sinister  motive,  and  Mrs.  Wallace  be- 
lievmg   that   Meta   had   herself    destroyed   her 
fortunes  by  some   of  her  wild    and    eccentric 

ways. 

Feeling  that  courteous  unexpressed  doubt 
was  latent  in  the  manners  of  both  his  friends, 
Mr.  Ascher  took  leave,  believing  it  would  be 


META    WALLACE,  OR 


more  agreeable  to  all  parties  if  he  took  up  his 
quarters  at  a  hotel.     Meta  was  very  much  sur 
prised  and  full  of  sorrow  when  she  learned  that 
it  was  all  over,  and    Mr.  Ascher  did  not  wisli 
to  take  her,  after  all.     She  kissed  him  good-bye, 
after  making  him  promise  to  come  back  after 
lunch  the  next  day,  for  a  drive  in  Central  Park, 
and  she  watched  the  black  beaver  on  its  way 
down  the  street,  until  a  blinding  mist  of  tears 
quite  hid  her  friend  from  view  ;  then,  running 
up-stairs  to  the  nursery,  she  threw  herself  on 
the  bed  to  cry  out  all   her  miserable  feelings 
alone. 

It  was  not  long  before  she  experienced  the 
cost  of  being  a  little  "dethroned  queen."     Now 
that  there  was  no  prospect  of  her  going  to  Paris, 
and   a  very  decided  certainty  that    she  would 
soon  be  at  Mr.  Leslie's  school,  she  learned  the 
truth  of  the   proverb,  "A  miss  is  as  good  as 
a  mile."     Mr.  Wallace   having  set   the   phrase 
going,  it  became  a  nursery  lullaby  from  Felicie 
and  Florry,  that  "  Mr.  Ascher  was  very  imper 
tinent,"  and  his  offer  an  unheard-of  insult  to  a 
"  man  of  papa's  means."     Meta  angrily  defended 
her  friend   from  the  ill-natured  criticisms  that 
now  fell  to  his  lot,  but   she  was  more   chafed 
and  fretted   with  her  teasing  room-mates  than 
she  had  ever  been   before. 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  139 

Precisely  at  four  o'clock  on  the  next  after 
noon,  Mr.  Ascher,  true  to  his  promise,  drove  up 
to  the  door  for  the  promised  drive ;  and  Meta 
was  in  a  flutter  of  excitement,  keeping  up. an 
incessant  flow  of  talk  from  the  time  they  left 
until  they  returned  at  sundown.  It  would  be 
tedious  to  relate  all  that  occurred  during  that 
drive,  for  many  serious  subjects  were  discussed, 
and  many  promises  made  for  the  future.  Meta 
was  much  grieved  to  learn  that  Mr.  Ascher 
had  taken  passage  for  Liverpool  in  a  steamer 
that  would  leave  next  day,  and  that  this  was 
the  last  she  would  see  of  her  good  friend  for 
some  years  to  come,  as  he  designed  remaining 
abroad  an  indefinite  time.  He  did  not  even 
promise  her  many  letters,  confessing,  with  a 
rueful  face,  that  he  hated  to  write  and  had  al 
ways  been  a  very  bad  correspondent ;  so  Meta 
drew  a  long  sigh  as  she  thought  of  this  intermi 
nable  absence  that  promised  so  little,  and  re 
gretted  intensely  that  she  had  ever  refused  to 
go;  for  had  she  not  done  so,  there  would  have 
been  no  separation,  and  she  would  have  pleased 
everybody,  as  well  as  herself.  But  it  was  too 
late  to  regret,  now. 

Just  before  the  carriage  turned  into  Thirty- 
fifth  street,  Mr.  Ascher  handed  her  a  small 
paper  parcel,  tied  with  a  cord,  and  requested 


I4O  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

that  she  would  see  what  he  had  brought  her  as 
a  lasting  reminder  of  his  visit  and  friendship. 
She  drew  off  her  gloves  and  untied  the  bundle 
eagerly,  and  as  she  did  so,  a  plain  little  book, 
showing  the  marks  of  long  usage,  fell  in  her 
hands :  it  was  Johnny's  Bible.  She  looked  up, 
reproachfully : 

"  O  Mr.  Ascher,"  she  said,  in  a  grieved  tone, 
"  you  have  been  to  see  Johnny,  and  never  told 
me!  I  had  so  many  things  to  ask  you  about 
him ;  but  it's  too  late  now,  for  we're  almost  at 
home." 

"  Yes,  I  have  been  to  see  Johnny,"  he  replied, 
"  and  I  have  much  to  relate  of  my  visit ;  but  I 
did  not  wish  our  last  drive  together  to  be  more 
sad  than  our  parting  has  made  it,  so  I  have  pur 
posely  waited  to  speak  of  your  friend.  Here 
we  are,  at  home,  sure  enough,  little  one !  You 
must  wait  until  evening  to  ask  those  questions. 
Come,  let  me  take  your  book  and  help  you 
out ! " 

He  spoke  hurriedly,  as  if  afraid  of  being  ques 
tioned,  and  Meta  followed  him  into  the  house 
without  gratifying  her  longing  desire  to  hear 
everything  that  was  to  be  told.  When  they 
entered  the  drawing-room,  they  found  it  dimly 
lighted  and  deserted  ;  Mrs.  Wallace  had  not  yet 
made  her  appearance,  and  Florry  was  out.  Mr. 


THE   SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  \^\ 

Ascher  led  Meta  to  a  sofa,  sat  down  beside  her, 
and  took  her  hand  in  both  of  his. 

"  My  child,"  he  said,  tenderly,  "  I  am  going 
away  from  you  to-morrow,  and  perhaps  it  may 
be  forever;  at  least,  it  will  be  years  before  I 
return.  Tell  me  now,  while  we  are  safe  from 
interruption,  are  you  willing  to  make  me  a 
promise?" 

"  Yes,  anything  you  ask ;  only  I  am  so  very, 
very  sorry  you  must  leave  me  !  O  Mr.  Ascher, 
I  have  not  many  friends ;  dorit  go  !  " 

"  But  I  could  do  you  no  good  if  I  staid,"  he 
said,  gently.  "  Believe  me,  dear  Meta,  that  I 
value  your  friendship  quite  as  highly  as  if  you 
were  not  a  child,  and  it  is  a  great  trial  to  me  to 
place  any  obstacle  to  this  pleasant  intercourse  ; 
but  my  future  is  fixed,  so  far  as  this  residence 
abroad  is  concerned.  There  are  many  good 
reasons  that  decided  me  to  leave  this  country, 
though  I  will  not  tell  them  now  ;  and  all  my 
arrangements  have  been  made.  Else,  do  you 
know,  little  girl,  I  think  I  would  be  too  great  a 
coward  to  go  off  and  live  alone,  thrusting  aside 
my  sunbeam  ?  But  to  my  promise  !  Will  you, 
when  you  have  learned  to  follow  Johnny's  way  — 
will  you  come  to  me  then,  and  help  me  to  find 
it  ?  Or,  if  you  cannot  come,  shall  I  return  to 
you?" 


142  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

"Oh,  yes,  a  thousand  times!"  she  cried,  joy 
ously,  as  if  it  would  be  an  easy  thing  to  find  the 
narrow  way.  "  Then  you  will  come  back  soon  ?  " 

"  I  hope  so,"  he  smiled.  "  I  trust  you  will 
not  be  long  groping  after  the  truth ;  and  the 
sooner  you  find  it,  you  know,  the  sooner  we 
meet.  One  thing  more !  Give  me  one  of  those 
chubby  hands  a  moment!  Here  is  a  little  ring, 
very  plain  and  inoffensive ;  yet  if  you  look  in 
side,  you  will  find  a  word  that  means  a  very 
great  deal.  Here !  let  me  slip  it  on,  and  do  you 
never  take  it  off,  Meta,  unless  your  fingers  grow 
so  much  that  it  can't  be  worn.  I  have  even 
provided  against  that,  however,  by  getting  it 
rather  too  large ;  so  you  must  promise  to  wear 
it  —  " 

"Indeed  I  will,"  she  interrupted,  eagerly; 
"and  when  one  finger  grows  big,  I  can  easily 
wear  it  on  another." 

"  Just  so,"  he  said,  laughing,  "  or  even  have  it 
attached  to  a  chain.  Now,  the  word  that  you 
are  puzzling  over,  though  you  didn't  even  ask 
to  see  it,  is  '  Mizpah.'  Don't  ask  me  what  it 
means !  You  must  look  in  Johnny's  legacy  for 
that.  And  now,  have  you  nothing  to  ask  about 
him,  after  all  ? " 

"  Ah !  you  know  I  have,"  she  said,  reproach 
fully,  after  thanking  him  earnestly  for  the 


THE    SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  143 

parting  gift.  Then  ensued  a  tide  of  questions, 
which  he  found  it  difficult  to  answer :  "  Whether 
Johnny  talked  much,  or  if  the  doctor  had  made 
him  any  better ;  and  wouldn't  Mr.  Ascher  beg 
mamma,  before  he  left,  to  let  her  go  again  to 
see  him,  if  he  lingered  long  ?  " 

At  this  petition,  he  looked  into  the  pleading 
face  sorrowfully,  and  did  not  answer. 

"  He  is  dead  !  "  she  cried,  a  sudden  convic 
tion  of  the  cause  "of  his  silence  overwhelming 
her. 

Mr.  Ascher  bowed  his  head  in  token  of  the 
truth. 

"  Tell  me  all  about  him  —  poor  Johnny  !  "  she 
said,  bursting  into  tears.  "  Oh,  was  he  fright 
ened  at  last  ? " 

"  No,  my  little  girl,  he  died  very  peacefully 
and  quietly,  a  short  time  after  I  entered  the 
room.  He  spoke  only  once,  and  then  so  low 
that  I  had  to  bend  my  head  down  to  catch  the 
words." 

"What  did  he  say?"  she  asked,  brokenly. 

"  Only  a  short  sentence,  but  full  of  faith  and 
very  touching,"  replied  Mr.  Ascher,  turning 
away  his  face  ;  "  he  said,  '  He  hath  taken  away 
the  sting.' " 

There  was  a  pause  after  this,  for  Meta  was 
sobbing  bitterly,  and  Mr.  Ascher's  voice  trem 
bled  too  much  for  words. 


144  MKTA    WALLACE,  OR 

At  last  her  tearful  face  was  raised. 

"  Did  he  send  me  this  himself,  and  think  of 
me  even  then  ? "  she  asked,  anxiously. 

"No,  not  just  then,  Meta.  He  had  requested 
Bridget  yesterday  to  send  you  the  Bible,  and 
she  tells  me  there  was  a  message  written  on  the 
fly-leaf,  at  his  dictation,  by  good  Mrs.  Hale." 

Meta  very  eagerly  opened  the  Bible  to  read 
his  last  message,  but  her  tears  blinded  her,  and 
she  asked  Mr.  Ascher's  assistance  ;  so  together 
they  read  these  words  : 

"  '  Confess  thy  sin.' 

" '  Forgetting  those  things  that  are  behind, 
press  onward.' 

" '  In  due  time  ye  shall  reap  if  ye  faint  not.' 

'"He  is  faithful  that  promised.'" 

As  she  took  in  the  full  meaning  of  these  sen 
tences,  Meta  became  very  grave  and  disturbed. 
To  Mr.  Ascher  they  meant  nothing,  and  only  sur 
prised,  inasmuch  as  the  boy,  out  of  th' e  one  only 
Book  with  which  he  was  familiar,  had  so  adapted 
its  texts  and  familiarized  them  as  to  make  them 
easy  of  comprehension  to  a  child's  mind.  But 
to  Meta  it  was  a  very  message  from  the  dead. 
"  Confess  thy  sin  "  had  in  it  all  the  solemnity  of 
a  command,  and  she  had  no  doubt  that  it  could 
only  refer  to  that  sin  she  had  confided  to  him 
weeks  ago,  and  which  he  had  so  earnestly  ad- 


THE  SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  145 

vised  her  to  reveal.  The  words  rang  in  her 
ears,  and  entirely  kept  her  from  pondering  the 
comfort  contained  in  the  rest  of  the  sentences. 
She  must  first  "  confess,"  before  she  could 
"  forget  those  things  that  are  behind,"  else 
Johnny  would  not  have  so  worded  his  message  ; 
and  she  saw  her  false  reasoning,  that  had  kept 
her  silent,  falling  silently  away  and  leaving  her 
subdued  and  yet  convinced,  longing  to  take  the 
first  hard  step,  yet  fearing,  as  she  had  always 
done,  to  reveal  the  long-hidden  source  of  unea 
siness,  Once,  as  she  silently  reflected  upon  it 
all,  she  half  resolved  to  tell  Mr.  Ascher,  and  be 
rid  of  it  so  far;  but  even  while  the  good  impulse 
battled  with  her  coward  heart,  her  mamma  came 
into  the  room,  followed  by  several  ladies,  and  the 
opportunity  was  lost. 

I  will  not  detail  the  conversation  she  had 
with  Mr.  Ascher  after  dinner,  since  it  was  only 
to  renew  their  compact  of  friendship.  The 
drawing-room  was  very  noisy,  as  Mrs.  Wallace 
had  many  visitors ;  but  this  only  made  it  easier 
to  talk  apart  with  her  friend.  Florry  occasion 
ally  left  the  larger  group,  and  sat  down  near  the 
"  old  fogies,"  as  she  now  called  the  pair ;  but, 
not  finding  the  conversation  very  agreeable, 
she  never  staid  long. 

And  so  the  evening  passed  away,  and  at  the 

10 


[46  MET  A    WALLACE. 

end  came  that  bitter  parting;  for  Meta  clung 
desperately  to  her  friend's  hand,  and  sobbed  so 
vehemently  that  he  was  half  inclined  to  let  the 
steamship  sail  without  him ;  but  it  could  not  be. 
Mrs.  Wallace,  who  did  not  believe  in  sentiment, 
even  in  so  childish  a  form,  said  it  was  quite  ab 
surd  for  Meta  to  be'such  a  goose,  and  promised 
Mr.  A«cher  that,  before  he  had  reached  the  end 
of  his  voyage,  Meta's  violent  affections  would  be 
transferred  to  her  dolls. 

"  I  am  not  afraid  to  trust  her,"  he  said, 
kindly,  as  he  bent  over  the  sobbing  figure  to 
press  a  kiss  on  the  sweet  face. 

Meta  caught  his  hand,  and  whispered  some 
thing. 

"I  promised  you,"  she  said,  beseechingly. 
"  Oh,  do,  dear  Mr.  Ascher,  promise  me  what  I 

ask." 

"  If  I  can,"  he  said,  fondling  the  curly  head. 

"It  is  only  this,"  hesitatingly;  "you  know 
you  said  you  didn't  love  God.  Oh,  won't  you 
please  try?" 

"  I  will  try,"  he  repeated  after  her,  as  he  bade 
God  bless  her  and  keep  her  all  the  days  of  her 

life. 

This  was  their  parting.  On  the  morrow,  Mr. 
Ascher  stood  on  the  deck  of  the  goodly  ship,  and 
looked  his  last  for  years  on  his  native  shores. 


CHAPTER   XVII. 

SHADOW  had  fallen  upon  Meta's  life. 
She  had  learned  the  bitterness  of  part 
ing  in  both  its  forms,  and  was  very  sad 
and  unhappy.  She  had  stepped  from  the  pinna 
cle  on  which  Mr.  Ascher's  regard  had  placed 
her,  to  the  old  stand-point  of  neglected  childhood 
—  had  gone  back  to  her  every-day  existence  to 
endure  teasing  and  snubbing,  from  the  bright, 
beautiful  world  that  friendship  had  made  for 
her ;  and  even  her  thoughts  were  tinged  with 
the  change.  It  was  a  very  different  thing  to  go 
listlessly  to  school  with  Florry,  or  to  walk  with 
Felicie,  to  those  delightful  drives  with  her 
friends  ;  still  harder  and  more  trying,  after  being 
encouraged  to  talk  of  the  inner  life,  and  made 
to  feel  that  she  was  a  responsible  being,  to  find 
her  views  called  "  peculiar,"  and  her  childish- 

(147) 


148  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

ness  and  lack  of  judgment  perpetually  sneered 
at.  Meta  was  only  like  the  rest  of  us  :  a  little 
pampering  of  self-love  and  vanity  goes  a  long 
way  towards  keeping  down  passions  that  are 
not  called  forth  when  we  are  petted  and  ca 
ressed.  It  is  very  easy  to  be  amiable  when  we 
are  never  crossed ;  and  so,  she  found,  is  the  re 
verse  quite  as  easy,  when  teasing  and  fretting 
at  our  foibles  keeps  them  ever  in  mind,  and 
only  aggravates  the  evil. 

Meta's  first  difficulty  occurred  on  the  day 
of  Mr.  Ascher's  departure  for  England,  when 
Bridget  came  for  her  to  go  to  Johnny's  funeral, 
and  Mrs.  Wallace  resisted  the  tearful  entreaties 
of  both.  The  child  protested,  in  her  old,  pas 
sionate  way,  that  "  mamma  was  a  cruel  mamma, 
and  she  wished  she  could  die,  too ; "  at  which 
Bridget  looked  sorrowful,  and  Mrs.  Wallace, 
saying  contemptuously  that  "  this  was  all  the 
good  her  visits  to  Johnny  had  done,  and  they 
had  better  not  have  been  made,"  ordered  Fe- 
licie  to  take  Meta  to  the  nursery.  Here  she 
lay  on  the  bed,  in  an  agony  of  angry  grief,  for 
hours.  When  she  had  grown  calmer,  a  feeling 
of  intense  mortification  and  sorrow  filled  her 
heart. 

"  Oh,  if  God  should  really  grant  her  prayer, 
and  let  her  die,  what  would  become  of  her  soul  ? 


THE  SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  '    149 

She  wasn't  fit  to  go  where  Johnny  had  gone, 
when  everything  made  her  so  wicked,  and  she 
had  almost  hated  mamma." 

Then  she  took  out  her  Bible,  and  opened  it  at 
Johnny's  message.  "  Confess  thy  sin  "  looked 
still  more  terrible  by  daylight,  and  in  her  pres 
ent  state  of  awe  and  penitence ;  and  when  Fe- 
licie  brought  her  dinner,  she  found  her  sitting 
on  the  rug,  her  face  buried  in  the  leaves  of 
Johnny's  book,  crying  dismally,  all  alone.  The 
maid  eyed  her  suspiciously  as  she  drew  near 
and  set  the  plate  on  the  table. 

"  What  book  is  that  ? "  she  asked,  rudely,  try 
ing  to  take  it  out  of  her  hands.  Meta  did  not 
answer,  but  sprang  hastily  by,  and  locked  the 
Bible  in  her  drawer,  half  afraid  that  the  luxury 
of  reading  it  would  be  denied  her. 

"  Mauvaise  enfante  /"  said  Felicie,  reproach 
fully;  "you  call  madame  ugly  names,  and  hide 
books  away  in  your  lock  drawer." 

Meta  had  gone  back  to  the  fire,  and  did  not 
make  any  reply ;  at  which  the  girl  vented  her 
reproaches  in  French,  and  went  away,  slam 
ming  the  door  after  her. 

Things  went  on  in  this  fashion  for  several 
weeks  ;  at  the  end  of  which  Meta  was  summoned 
to  another  interview  in  her  mamma's  dressing- 
room,  and  told  that  she  would  be  sent  in  a  few 


I5O  META    WALLACE,  OR 

days  to  her  cousin's  school.  Mrs.  Wallace  had 
expected  a  rebellious  outbreak,  but  Meta  had 
grown  indifferent  to  her  fate,  and  otfcrcd  no  ob 
jection  to  the  plan ;  seeing  which,  the  mother 
was  half  inclined  .to  take  the  little  sorrowful  girl 
to  her  heart,  and  try  to  understand  her  griefs. 
But  she  was  so  persuaded  that  the  child  needed 
other  influences,  and  so  used  to  repressing  nat 
ural  instincts  in  her  heart,  that  the  desire  to 
comfort  her  little  one  was  speedily  overcome, 
and  the  sentence  of  banishment  given.  It  was 
during  this  interview  that  she  first  saw  Mr. 
Ascher's  parting  gift,  and  listened  attentively 
to  its  history. 

"  My  dear  Meta,"  she  said,  in  an  annoyed 
tone,  "is  it  possible  you  are  so  ignorant  of 
propriety  as  to  accept  so  valuable  a  gift  without 
consulting  me  ? " 

"  I  didn't  know  it  was  valuable,"  she  an 
swered,  meekly ;  "  I  remember  he  said  it  was  a 
plain  little  ring." 

"  But  it  has  a  value,  nevertheless,  child  ;  and  if 
I  did  not  think  you  would  suffer  by  going  away 
from  us,  I  should  insist  on  your  returning  it  to 
Mr.  Ascher,  or  at  least  laying  it  aside." 

"  O  mamma,  you  couldn't  be  so  cruel !  "  she 
cried  out ;  "  I  promised  him  always  to  wear  it, 
and  I  can't  break  my  word !  I  didn't  know  it 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  \^\ 

was  any  harm  to  take  it,  mamma,  indeed. 
Please  let  me  keep  my  precious  ring ! " 

"There,  there!  don't  get  so  excited,"  said 
Mrs.  Wallace,  hastily ;  "  I  dare  say  it's  not 
worth  very  much.  Take  it  off,  and  let  me 
see !  " 

But  Meta  assured  her  this  was  impossible, 
since  she  had  promised  to  wear  it ;  and  then 
came  out  the  story  of  the  word  engraved  inside, 
which  she  had  wanted  so  much  to  look  out  in 
her  Bible,  only  she  never  could  find  the  place. 
Would  mamma  help  her  ? 

"  '  Mizpah,'  "  said  Mrs.  Wallace,  musingly ; 
"  let  me  see !  Yes,  it  means  something  like 
this :  '  The  Lord  watch  between  me  and  thee 
while  we  are  parted,  one  from  the  other.'  Who 
would  have  believed  Joseph  Ascher  had  so 
much  religious  sentiment !  I  must  really  tell 
papa,  Meta.  Did  you  know  your  -paragon  was 
as  great  an  unbeliever  as  you  could  well  find 
anywhere  ? " 

Meta  sadly  assented  as  she  turned  the  ring 
over  on  her  finger  thoughtfully.  It  was  in 
vested  with  a  new  charm  now  that  it  bore  a 
prayer  on  the  inside,  and  the  possible  loss 
of  such  a  treasure  made  her  tremble. 

"  I  may  keep  it,  dear  mamma  ? "  she  asked, 
after  a  pause,  throwing  her  arms  around  her 


152  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

mother's  neck,  with  little  regard  to  the  delicate 
laces  that  encircled  it. 

"I  suppose  so  —  yes,  of  course,"  replied  Mrs. 
Wallace,  as  she  disengaged  the  affectionate 
arms  from  her  lace  ruffles,  and  kissed  the 
child's  brow.  "  There,  run  away,  little  girl ; 
mamma  has  an  engagement  with  Mrs.  Apple- 
ton  now." 

The  day  for  Meta's  departure  was  fixed  for 
the  end  of  that  week,  and  she  went  about  the 
house  very  sorrowfully  to  take  leave  of  the  old 
familiar  things.  Though  she  had  made  no  dem 
onstration  when  told  of  her  separation  from  all 
she  loved,  she  had  not  the  less  keenly  felt  the 
sentence.  Now  that  Johnny  was  gone  forever, 
and  Mr.  Ascher  for  so  long,  she  had  a  feeling 
of  loneliness  and  isolation  hard  to  conquer; 
but  home  was  home,  after  all,  even  if  she  was 
severely  tried  in  her  daily  life,  and  she  had  a 
natural  dislike  to  going  among  strangers.  She 
was  making  early  acquaintance  with  that  disap 
pointment  of  heart  that  so  often  "  tracks  the 
footsteps  of  Hope." 

As  soon  as  she  felt  sure  that  there  was  no  ap 
peal  from  mamma's  sentence,  she  ran  over  to 
Agneau's  to  say  good-bye.  It  was  the  first 
time  she  had  visited  her  humble  friends  since 
Johnny's  death,  and  the  sight  of  her  familiar 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  153 

face  created  quite  a  stir  in  the  shop.  Frangois 
came  eagerly  around  the  counter  to  bid  her  wel 
come,  and  old  Agneau,  looking  over  his  spec 
tacles,  smiled  pleasantly,  and  made  a  polite 
French  bow.  She  sat  down  on  one  of  the  high 
stools,  and  began  an  eager  conversation  with 
Francois,  who  told  her  he  had  often  visited 
Johnny  for  her  sake,  and  had  attended  the  plain 
funeral,  giving  her  the  details  of  all :  how  they 
had  dressed  the  boy  in  a  new  suit,  and  carried 
him  to  a  big  cemetery ;  how  the  nurse  and 
Bridget  had  wept  and  moaned,  and  the  man  who 
filled  in  the  grave  "  reckoned  it  was  all  for  the 
best ; "  how  he,  Francois,  had  laid  a  bunch  of 
flowers  on  the  grave  that  very  morning;  for  he 
had  learned  to  love  Johnny,  and  would  take 
Meta  to  see  the  place  any  day  she  could  obtain 
madame's  consent. 

"  I  can't  ever  go,"  said  Meta,  sadly,  her  eyes 
filling  with  tears  ;  "  I  am  going  ever  so  far  in 
the  country  to  live  in  a  big  school,  and  I  have 
come  to  say  good-bye." 

Frangois,  in  a  jargon  of  French  and  English, 
expressed  great  regret,  and  asked  many  ques 
tions.  Then  Meta  begged  him  to  take  a  mes 
sage  to  her  "  dear  Bridget,"  and  to  give  her  best 
love  to  Alice,  who  was  not  at  home ;  and  then, 
jumping  down  from  her  high  perch,  said  she 


154  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

must  certainly  go,  or  F61icie  would  be  very 
angry  indeed. 

Francois  made  his  adieux  tearfully,  and  old 
Agneau  opened  his  heart,  and  presented  a  large 
bundle  of  caramels  as  a  parting  gift,  assuring 
mademoiselle  that  he  deeply  regretted  her  loss. 

As  Meta  hurried  along  the  avenue,  she  saw 
her  old  acquaintance,  the  tambourine  girl,  hold 
ing  out  that  instrument  beseechingly  to  the 
passers-by.  She  had  on  a  good  pair  of  shoes, 
and  was  altogether  quite  improved  since  their 
last  meeting.  The  monkey  was  hopping  about 
on  the  pavement,  looking  very  queer  in  his  red- 
flannel  vestments,  and  still  winking  his  eyes 
like  a  sage.  When  the  Italian  recognized  our 
little  friend,  he  stopped  grinding,  in  the  middle 
of  a  tune,  to  make  a  flourishing  bow,  and  smile 
his  acknowledgments  of  former  favors. 

"  Oh,  I  haven't  any  money,"  cried  Meta,  as 
he  drew  near ;  "  but  here  are  some  nice  cara 
mels!"  and,  throwing  the  bundle  in  the  tam 
bourine,  she  ran  off. 

That  night,  while  sleepily  preparing  for  bed, 
Felicie  came  with  a  summons  to  her  mamma, 
which  Meta  obeyed  in  a  tired,  reluctant  way. 
She  had  scarcely  entered  the  dressing-room 
door,  when  she  was  clasped  in  a  pair  of  sturdy 
arms,  and  Bridget's  cheery  voice  greeted  her. 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  155 

"  And  it's  going  away,  ye  are,  my  deary  ? 
My  heart  is  sore  heavy  at  the  thought.  What'll 
poor  Biddy  do  without  one  of  her  darlints  ?  " 

Mrs.  Wallace,  who  was  moved  at  the  woman's 
love  for  her  child,  here  softly  withdrew,  leaving 
the  two  to  talk  over  their  sorrow  together. 

"  It  can  do  no  harm,  now,"  she  thought,  "  but 
I  was  very  foolish  ever  to  have  allowed  it  to  go 
on." 

Meta  and  Bridget  had  much  to  say  to  each 
other,  and  they  made  the  most  of  their  time. 
Johnny's  last  hours  were  long  dwelt  upon,  and 
after  the  sister  had  tearfully  related  the  suffer 
ings,  and  yet  the  perfect  faith,  of  her  darling, 
she  told  the  little  girl  that  he  had  left  her  a  few 
words  of  warning  and  comfort. 

"  He  bid  me  tell  ye,"  she  said,  looking  in 
tently  in  the  child's  face,  "  that  ye  must  be  of 
stout  heart  to  do  right,  and  not  forget  what  he 
told  ye  do  the  day  ye  ran  away  with  the  Frinch 
lad  to  see  him.  D'ye  remember  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Meta,  sorrowfully  ;  "  are  you  very 
sure  he  said  that  ?  for  it's  mighty  hard  to  do." 

"  Indeed,  and  I'm  sure,  Meta.  Them's  the 
words  my  Johnny  said.  And  won't  you  tell 
your  own  Bridget  what's  worriting  the  darlint  ? 
Sure,  ye' re  going  among  strangers,  and  ye'd 
best  tell  me  all.  No  ?  You  can't  find  courage, 


META    WALLACE. 


my  honey  ?  Then  never  mind,  Mcta,  my  lamb  ; 
do  ye  just  follow  Johnny's  advice,  and  ye'll  not 
go  far  astray!  And  now  I  must  be  off,  dar- 
lint,  for  Brooklyn's  not  at  the  corner,  and  your 
mamma'd  not  be  pleased  an'  I  staid  too  long. 
God  bless  you,  my  own  baby  !  " 

Bridget  here  delivered  herself  of  a  series  of 
hugs,  and  wept  silently  awhile  before  she  could 
find  it  in  her  heart  to  break  away  from  "  her 
baby,"  who  clung  so  passionately  to  her  neck. 
But  Mrs.  Wallace's  entrance,  and  the  restraint 
it  brought,  dried  her  tears. 

As  soon  as  Bridget  closed  the  door,  Meta  ran 
to  her  mamma,  and  hid  her  face  in  her  lap.  The 
long-pent-up  grief  at  leaving  home  and  every 
thing  she  loved  vented  itself  in  wholesome 
tears  on  a  mother's  breast. 


at 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

the  evening  before  her  departure, 
Meta  stole  softly  at  twilight  to  her 
father's  library,  and  gave  a  low  knock 
the  door.  Faint  as  the  sound  was,  the 
knock  was  immediately  answered,  and,  before 
she  had  time  to  hesitate,  the  door  was  opened, 
and  her  father  stood  before  her,  looking  down 
curiously  at  the  little  figure.  Johnny's  first  sow 
ing  of  good  seed  was  bringing  a  speedy  harvest. 
His  message  had  sunk  deep  in  her  heart  at 
first,  and  for  the  last  few  days  she  had  thought 
of  little  else,  trying  to  believe  it  possible  to 
"  forget  those  things  that  are  behind,"  and  yet 
not  confess,  but  finding  it  impossible  to  expect 
the  blessing  if  she  did  not  first  experience  the 
pain.  Whether  designedly  or  not,  the  boy  had 
so  worded  his  sentence  that  she  never  took  out 


158  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

her  Bible  for  comfort  that  "  Confess  thy  sin  " 
did  not  bring  to  mind  what  lay  heavy  on  her 
conscience ;  and  she  grew  into  a  superstitious 
belief  that  she  would  never  succeed  in  her 
efforts  to  be  good,  if  she  neglected  the  boy's 
warning. . 

Bridget's  visit  and  Johnny's  last  advice,  to 
gether  with  her  regret  at  leaving  home,  had  all 
worked  slowly  to  decide  her ;  and  she  had  re 
solved  that  she  could  never  bear  the  separation 
from  her  father,  or  the  loneliness  of  the  new 
life,  if  there  was  anything  worse  than  parting 
to  endure. 

"  What  do  you  want,  Meta  ? "  was  her  father's 
first  question,  after  bidding  her  enter  and  hand 
ing  her  a  chair.  Meta  did  not  sit  down,  but 
stood  nervously  before  the  table,  covered  with 
pamphlets  and  papers,  at  which  her  father  had 
seated  himself. 

"  I  have  something  very  naughty  to  tell  you, 
papa,"  she  said,  playing  with  an  end  of  her 
apron. 

"  What  is  it,  little  one  ?  Have  you  broken 
something,  or  torn  your  best  dress  ?  You'd 
better  go  to  mamma,  dear !  " 

"  Oh,  no,  papa,  nothing  like  that !  This  hap 
pened  very  long  ago  at  Bellevue." 

"  At   Bellevue  ? "  repeated    Mr.    Wallace,  be- 


THE  SEEN  AND    UNSEEN. 


159 


coming   interested  ;  "  and  what  was  it  so  very 
naughty,   Meta  ? " 

With  a  desperate  effort,  and  struggling  vainly 
against  her  tears,  she  told  the  whole  story.  Mr. 
Wallace  listened  very  gravely  as  the  revelation 
was  made.  One  of  his  pet  hobbies  had  always 
been  that,  since  the  children  were  forbidden 
ever  to  enter  the  library,  at  either  residence,  it 
mattered  very  little  in  what  condition  his  papers 
were  left ;  and  he  was,  consequently,  extremely 
careless.  He  had  missed  this  very  paper  when 
making  an  inventory  of  his  property,  in  view  of 
a  new  will,  on  the  day  of  Mr.  Ascher's  arrival, 
and  had  purposed  going  to  Bellevue  to  look  it 
up ;  but  his  friend's  visit  had  not  only  post 
poned  the  trip,  but  entirely  obliterated  the  loss 
from  his  mind;  and  as  he  was  a  genuine  procras- 
tinator,  even  the  new  will  was  still  in  an  unfin 
ished  state.  As  Meta's  tale  progressed,  he  gave 
way  to  various  emotions.  Annoyance  at  the 
child's  heedlessness,  self-reproach  for  his  own 
carelessness,  wonder  at  the  influence  that  had 
brought  the  thing  to  light,  and  an  affectionate 
sympathy  for  the  poor  little  penitent,  filled  his 
heart.  A  pang  of  self-reproach  for  her  unloved 
childhood  smote  him,  too.  What  had  he  ever 
done  to  make  the  spring-time  of  life  joyous  to 
her,  or  to  sow  the  good  seed  she  had  found  by 


l6O  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

the  wayside  ?  Her  very  artlessness  and  queer- 
ness  went  to  his  heart  as  he  sat  silently  strok 
ing  her  hand.  Though  fearing  it  was  the  miss 
ing  paper  she  so  confusedly  avowed  she  had 
swallowed,  he  still  hoped  it  might  be  valueless 
as  he  asked  the  question :  . 

"  Was  there  any  name,  Meta  ?  " 

"  Yes,  papa,"  in  a  despairing  tone,  "  it  was  my 
dear,  good  Mr.  Joseph  Ascher." 

Mr.  Wallace,  at  this  confirmation  of  his  fears, 
thrust  aside  the  hand  he  was  stroking,  and  took 
a  few  strides  down  the  room.  After  looking  out 
of  the  window  a  few  moments,  and  giving  a  phil 
osophical  whistle,  he  came  back  to  his  chair, 
and  set  Meta  on  his  knee. 

"  O  papa,"  she  cried,  despairingly ;  "  what  have 
I  done  ?  what  have  I  done  ?  "  And  she  clasped 
her  hands,  feeling  sure  it  was  something  very 
dreadful,  indeed. 

"  We  are  both  to  blame,  my  dear,"  said  her 
father,  after  a  pause  ;  "  but  though  I  am  sorry 
for  your  distress,  I  must  severely  reprimand 
your  thoughtlessness.  You  have  swallowed 
just  exactly  five  thousand  dollars." 

"  Five  thousand  dollars  ! "  repeated  the  little 
girl  in  a  tone  of  horror;  then  she  gave  way  to  a 
fit  of  overwhelming  grief. 

"  Yes,"  pursued  Mr.  Wallace,  "  the  paper  you 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  l6l 

swallowed  was  a  note  from  Mr.  Ascher  for  that 
amount." 

"  A  note,  papa  ?    Couldn't  he  write  another  ? " 

"  Yes,"  reflectively  ;  "  he  could  do  that ;  but 
then,  Mr.  Ascher  is  far  away,  you  know  — ' 

"  O  papa,"  interrupted  the  voice,  brokenly ; 
"  if  I  had  only  told  you  before  Mr.  Ascher 
left !  " 

"  Ah,  Meta,  if  you  had,  there  would  have  been 
no  serious  trouble,  you  see !  Concealment  is 
very  dangerous,  and  I  hope  you  will  profit  by 
your  experience  of  it.  You  did  very  wrong  to 
disobey  my  wishes,  in  going  at  all  into  the  li 
brary,  and  then  to  gratify  your  temper  by  de 
stroying  the  evidence  of  your  fault ;  but  you 
have  done  far  worse  to  keep  it  so  long  con 
cealed." 

"  I  wasn't  quite  sure,  papa,"  she  pleaded,  hum 
bly,  "  that  the  paper  was  really  valuable.  It  was 
out  on  the  desk,  and  looked  so  old,  and  —  " 

"  Don't  hunt  up  excuses !  "  interrupted  her 
father,  somewhat  nettled  that  his  own  careless 
ness  was  coming  in  for  a  share  of  the  blame ; 
"  it  is  very  cowardly  to  seek  escape  from  the 
just  punishment  of  our  evil  acts ;  don't  you 
know  that  ? " 

"  Yes,"  she  said,  penitently ;  "  but  I  did  not 
mean  any  harm  —  I  didn't  think  —  " 


1 62  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

"  That  is  just  what  we  are  all  prone  to  say 
when  we  have  been  very  thoughtless,  little 
girl !  Shall  I  tell  you  a  nice  verse  you  would 
do  well  to  learn  ?  Listen,  and  remember  it, 
Meta : 

Evil  is  wrought  by  want  of  thought 
As  well  as  want  of  heart. 

Thoughtlessness  is  no  sort  of  plea  to  urge  when 
you  have  done  wrong,  for  it  is  a  wrong  in  itself. 
Think  of  the  number  of  people  who  might  have 
been  made  happy  by  the  sum  you  so  carelessly 
made  away  with  !  " 

"  Oh,  can't  anything  be  done  ?  I'll  ask  Mr. 
Ascher  to  write  it  over  again  ! " 

Mr.  Wallace  smiled. 

"Listen  attentively,  Meta,"  he  said,  "and  I 
will  tell  you  a  story  about  that  paper.  Long 
ago,  when  your  friend  was  a  poor  man,  and  left 
my  office  to  start  for  himself  in  the  West,  I 
offered  to  lend  him  a  considerable  amount  of 
money,  and,  after  some  hesitation,  he  agreed  to 
accept  the  favor.  I  was  very  fond  of  your  Mr. 
Ascher ;  he  had  been  my  confidential  clerk  for 
years,  and  I  was  very  anxious  to  assist  him  in 
his  manly  notions  of  independence.  In  a  few 
years  he  paid  me  half  the  original  sum  loaned 
—  do  you  understand  what  I  am  saying  ?  " 


THE   SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  163 

"  Oh,  yes,  papa,  every  word  of  it !  That  paper 
told  about  it  all,  I  reckon  ! " 

"  No,  not  exactly,  but  it  was  Mr.  Ascher's 
promise  to  pay  me,  after  a  specified  time,  the 
rest  of  the  money,  with  interest  from  the  date 
of  the  loan.  Now,  I  have  no  proof,  you  see,  of 
the  transaction,  Meta.  Mr.  Ascher's  note  hav 
ing  been  made  a  meal  of,  I  can  only  rely  upon 
his  honor;  and  though  I  do  not  question  that 
at  all,  yet  the  ocean  is  wide,  life  is  short,  and 
wealth  may  disappear  in  a  twinkling — " 

"  O  papa,"  sighed  Meta,  despairingly. 

"  Besides,"  he  continued,  "  no  one  knows  of 
the  existence  of  that  paper  but  your  friend  and 
myself  —  ah,  I  forgot !  you  have  crept  into  the 
secret,  too !  See  what  an  important  person 
you  have  made  of  yourself !  And  now,  Meta, 
let  this  be  a  lasting  lesson  to  you  ;  and  remem 
ber  that,  though  I  am  a  rich  man,  I  am  not 
proof  against  bankruptcy  if  you  take  a  fancy  to 
swallowing  many  notes  for  five  thousand  dollars 
at  a  meal !  " 

Finding  that  her  father  was  again  smiling, 
Meta  took  heart  and  smiled  too.  In  fact,  Mr. 
Wallace,  while  talking,  had  convinced  himself 
that  it  was  not  such  an  irremediable  piece  of 
mischief,  after  all.  The  ocean  might  be  wide, 
and  life  uncertain,  but  it  seemed  scarcely  prob- 


164  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

able  that  cither  his  wealth  or  his  life  could  be 
in  jeopardy  ;  and  he  comforted  himself,  as  well 
as  the  child,  with  the  assurance  that  he  would 
write  to  Ascher  shortly,  and  the  matter  would 
be  satisfactorily  arranged. 

In  the  midst  of  Meta's  grateful  thanks  for 
her  father's  kindness,  the  dressing-bell  rang, 
and  she  was  hurriedly  dismissed  with  an  affec 
tionate  caress  and  a  full  assurance  of  pardon. 
There  was  one  part  of  the  story  that  Mr.  Wal 
lace  had  not  deemed  it  necessary  to  tell ;  but 
Meta  knew  nothing  of  this,  and  went  "  on  her 
way  rejoicing "  at  the  weight  lifted  from  her 
heart. 

For  some  time,  it  is  true,  she  did  reflect  upon 
the  vast  amount  of  happiness  such  a  sum  might 
procure,  and  of  the  danger  of  trifling  with  un 
known  papers;  but  the  relief  from  her  long- 
endured  struggles  to  confess  was  so  great  that 
she  very  soon  comforted  herself  with  the  belief 
that  it  would  all  be  made  right  when  papa  wrote 
to  Mr.  Ascher.  The  sin  having  been  confessed, 
she  might  now  hope  to  "  forget  those  things 
which  are  behind,"  and  take  the  next  step  in 
Johnny's  pathway. 

In  the  bustle  of  departure,  and  the  tearful 
leave  of  her  parents  and  home,  Meta  forgot 
everything  but  her  own  sadness  of  heart,  and 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  165 

dismissed  all  thought  of  the  paper  from  her 
mind;  nor  did  she  trouble  herself  about  the 
matter  afterwards,  until  years  had  passed,  and 
subsequent  events  brought  the  scene  in  her 
father's  library  vividly  to  her  recollection. 

Mr.  Wallace  had  promised  in  good  faith,  and 
had  intended  to  write,  within  a  few  days,  to  Mr. 
Ascher,  explaining  the  loss  of  his  note ;  but  he 
had  been  too  long  a  procrastinator  to  change 
his  habits  at  once,  and  the  letter  was  never 
written  at  all. 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

^EVERAL  weeks  passed,  and  Meta  was 
sufficiently  initiated  into  the  mysteries 
of  school  life  to  be  very  homesick,  and 
weary  of  the  routine.  She  longed  to  go  back 
to  New  York,  and  be  free  to  follow  her  inclina 
tions  again  :  to  take  a  run  over  to  Agneau's  and 
chat  with  Francois  ;  to  ride  out  with  her  mother 
and  Florry,  or  even  to  quarrel  with  F^licie. 
Anything  seemed  preferable  to  the  dull  monot 
ony  and  weariness  of  her  changed  life.  The 
girls  were  strangers,  and  possessed  of  all  the 
curiosity  of  their  class,  vexing  her  with  inquiries 
into  her  past  existence  and  her  tastes,  teasing 
her  for  her  awkwardness  among  the  self-pos 
sessed  young  women  who  had  seen  something 
of  the  world,  and,  worse  than  all,  laughing  at 
her  serious  turn  of  mind,  and  dubbing  her 
(166) 


META    STUDYING.     Page  166. 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  l6j 

"  Saint  Margaret "  for  daring  to  quote  from 
Johnny's  sentences  when  her  religious  views 
were  called  in  question. 

All  this  was  perplexing  and  very  hard  to 
bear;  she  found  Johnny's  pathway  narrow  and 
thorny  enough  to  cause  many  tears  in  trying 
not  to  forsake  it.  The  bell  that  roused  hei 
from  a-  comfortable  morning  nap,  to  hurry  on 
her  clothes,  seemed  the  crudest  of  sounds. 
She  missed  Fe"licie's  dexterous  fingers,  and 
made  sad  work  with  her  curls  and  collars ;  for 
she  had  never  performed  such  offices  for  herself 
before.  The  long  refectory,  with  its  rows  of 
tables,  seemed  like  a  court  of  justice,  before 
which  she  must  answer  to  the  charge  of  never 
having  been  to  a  boarding-school.  There  were 
no  longer  Swiss  rolls  and  appetizing  relishes 
for  breakfast,  but  -only  her  share  of  the  sub 
stantial  country  fare,  which  she  found  very 
unlike  that  to  which  she  was  accustomed,  and 
not  at  all  to  her  taste.  She  missed,  too,  Ag- 
neau's  fancy  confectionery.  There  were  village 
stores,  where  candy  of  an  antiquated  build  and 
taste  was  offered  for  sale ;  but  at  such  Meta 
turned  up  her  nose,  and  would  not  deign  to 
eat.  On  the  whole,  her  first  experience  of  a 
boarding-school  —  or,  as  Mr.  Leslie's  more  aris 
tocratic  establishment  was  termed,  a  Pcnsionnat 
des  Demoiselles  —  was  anything  but  agreeable. 


1 68  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

Mr.  Leslie  and  his  amiable  wife,  though  nom 
inally  the  principals  of  the  school,  had  nothing 
whatever  to  do  with  its  management.  A  strict 
Frenchwoman  and  a  large  corps  of  under-pro- 
fessors  virtually  ruled,  while  Mr.  Leslie  was 
financial  manager,  and  his  wife  devoted  herself 
entirely  to  the  household  department. 

Madame  Seville,  under  whose  jurisdiction  the 
girls  were  placed,  was  rather  too  much  given  to 
partiality  to  be  just ;  yet,  on  the  whole,  was  some 
what  a  favorite  with  her  scholars.  One  of  her 
eccentricities  was  to  be  always  complaining  of 
headache,  or  some  other  bodily  ill,  which  made 
it  necessary  for  her  to  drink  fragrant  coffee  and 
eat  tender  steaks  at  her  end  of  the  table,  the 
choice  morsels  being  hungrily  watched  by  the 
girls,  who  were  faring  so  differently.  Yet,  to 
judge  by  her  ruddy  face  and  round  figure,  mad- 
ame  needed  very  little  to  sustain  her,  and  one 
would  never  have  suspected  that  she  was  alto 
gether  so  great  an  invalid  as  she  supposed. 
Mrs.  Leslie  provided  amply  for  her  young 
charges,  but  it  was  rather  tempting  to  see  mad- 
ame's  private  meals  so  greatly  relished ;  and  not 
withstanding  that  there  were  other  substantiate 
presented  to  them,  so  long  as  madame  dipped 
into  the  "  flesh-pots  of  Egypt,"  the  scholars 
longed  to  do  likewise. 


THE   SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  169 

One  Saturday  morning-,  Meta  stood  on  the 
back  piazza,  looking  disconsolately  down  upon  a 
merry  group  in  the  yard  who  were  busy  at  a 
game  of  croquet,  too  homesick  and  miserable  to 
join  them.  She  had  been  nearly  a  month  in 
the  school,  and,  though  her  shyness  had  some 
what  worn  off,  still  held  herself  aloof  from  her 
companions,  earning  by  the  indulgence  of  natu 
ral  timidity  the  character  of  a  "  reserved,  stuck- 
up  piece,"  in  the  language  of  the  boarders. 
She  had  borne  the  inquisitorial  process  to  which 
new  scholars  are  subjected  very  patiently;  but 
when  her  cousin  Julia,  her  room-mate  and  would- 
be  friend,  made  her  the  subject  of  a  witty 
sketch,  laughing  at  her  for  reading  Johnny's 
Bible,  and  teasing  her  unmercifully  for  preten 
sions  to  saintliness,  her  old  temper  was  roused. 
This  morning  some  very  ill-natured  remark  had 
kept  her  from  the  croquet  ground,  and  fostered 
the  angry  spirit  she  had  hoped  was  under  con 
trol.  She  was  anxious  to  join  the  group  in  the 
yard,  yet  would  not,  because  she  felt  her  way 
ward  passion  could  not  be  restrained  if  she  was 
greeted  with  the  hateful  title  of  "  Saint  Marga 
ret,"  and  this  she  knew  would  be  the  case. 

She  was  almost  ready  to  cry,  when  an  inter 
ruption,  as  unexpected  as  it  was  unwelcome, 
came  in  the  shape  of  Madame  Seville.  The 


I7O  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

teacher  noiselessly  approached,  and  laid  a  fat 
hand  on  the  curly  head. 

"  What  is  the  matter,  my  dear  ?  "  asked  mad- 
ame,  soothingly,  catching  sight  of  the  miserable 
face.  Meta  shrugged  her  shoulders,  but  said 
nothing. 

"  Poor  little  girl,  you  are  homesick !  Come 
with  me !  Have  you  had  your  breakfast  ? " 

"  I  had  some  bread  and  milk,"  said  Meta, 
sighing;  "I  did  not  care  for  anything  else." 

"And  you  don't  call  that  breakfast,  I  sup 
pose,"  said  madame,  laughing  at  her  tone; 
"  come  with  me,  and  I  will  see  what  I  can  find 
to  add  to  the  bread  and  milk." 

The  little  girl  reluctantly  obeyed,  and  fol 
lowed  madame  through  a  good  many  passages 
to  a  small  room  overlooking  the  lawn.  The 
morning  sunshine  streamed  in  through  the 
pretty  muslin  curtains,  a  canary  sang  merrily 
in  the  window,  a  bright  fire  burned  in  the  grate, 
and  altogether  it  was  as  cheery  and  inviting  a 
little  chamber  as  one  could  well  desire,  Meta 
felt  more  at  home  than  she  had  done  since  her 
arrival,  as  she  took  the  nice  cushioned  chair  to 
which  madame  invited  her,  and  leaned  back  at 
her  ease  ;  while  her  teacher  bustled  about  the 
room,  moving  a  book  here,  and  changing  the 
fall  of  her  curtains,  feeding  the  canary  with 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  I'J  \ 

sugar,  and  talking  all  the  while  with  true 
French  volubility.  There  were  several  large, 
rosy  apples  on  the  mantel-piece,  which  she  took 
down  and  handed  to  Meta,  bidding  her  eat  them 
if  she  liked ;  then,  seating  herself  in  a  rocking- 
chair,  she  began  questioning  her  young  visitor 
pretty  much  as  the  girls  had  done,  finding 
great  amusement  in  the  queer  answers  she  re 
ceived,  as  Meta  unwittingly  opened  her  heart. 

"  Let  me  see,"  said  madame,  after  a  long  talk ; 
'.'  I  believe  I  have  heard  Julia  Leslie  speak  of 
you.  She  is  your  room-mate,  isn't  she  ?  And 
you  are  the  very  little  girl  they  have  all  been 
talking  about." 

The  brown  eyes  looked  up  inquiringly,  and 
then  drooped. 

"  I  don't  know  what  Julia  could  have  said 
about  me,"  said  Meta,  her  good-humor  about  to 
vanish. 

"  Only  that  you  put  yourself  to  sleep  every 
night  with  Bible  verses,."  replied  madame,  smil 
ing.  "  There !  don't  be  provoked  with  your 
cousin  ;  it  was  nothing  very  bad  to  say,  I  am 
sure ! " 

A  quick,  vivid  blush  mantled  the  child's  face. 
Could  it  bo  that  Julia  had  really  heard  her  re 
peating  the  dear  sentences  to  herself  when  she 
fancied  everybody  asleep  and  she  was  so  heart- 


1/2  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

sick  and  miserable  ?  The  little  hands  were 
clasped  tightly,  as  her  eyes  filled  with  passion 
ate  tears.  Madame  Seville,  unconscious  of  the 
pain  she  was  inflicting  on  the  sensitive  nature, 
so  keenly  alive  to  ridicule,  and  knowing  nothing 
of  Meta's  new  title  or  the  girls'  sneers,  went  on 
in  the  same  strain  to  confirm  the  child's  fears 
that  her  sufferings  had  really  been  made  a  sub 
ject  of  jest,  and  her  one  comfort  —  Johnny's 
legacy  —  laughed  at  by  her  heedless  cousin. 
The  old  leaven  rose  in  her  heart  as  she  listened, 
clasping  and  unclasping  her  hands  in  excite 
ment,  but  saying  not  a  word  of  all  she  felt. 

Madame,  who  was  sorry  to  see  her  so  soon 
the  object  of  school-girl  ridicule,  thought  she 
would  venture  upon  a  piece  of  advice. 

"  It  is  very  well,  my  dear,"  she  said,  kindly  — 
"very  well  to  cultivate  your  pious  inclinations; 
but  let  me  beg  you  to  keep  them  to  yourself  in 
future.  These  heedless  girls  have  no  sympathy 
with  anything  above  their  own  level,  and  you 
will  never  be  popular  if  you  even  seem  to  be 
better  than  your  companions." 

"  I  don't  want  to  be  popular ! "  cried  Meta, 
passionately;  "I  don't  pretend  to  be  good, 
either!  I  never  was  good  ;  I  was  only  trying  I 
Oh,  I  wish  I  was  back  at  home,  and  away  from 
all  these  cruel  people  —  " 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  1/3 

Sobbing  vebemently,  Meta  could  get  no  fur 
ther  ;  but,  throwing  her  apples  down  on  the 
table,  she  ran  out  of  the  room  before  madame 
had  recovered  from  her  surprise  at  the  strange 
result  of  her  well-meant  advice. 

Too  indignant  and  too  proud  to  appear  before 
the  girls  in  tears,  Meta  checked  her  sobs  as  she 
sped  along  the  passages,  out  into  the  yard,  and 
into  the  midst  of  the  game  of  croquet.  The 
girls  who  were  playing  had  reached  the  close  of 
the  contest,  and  were  in  a  state  of  clamorous 
excitement,  their  voices  mingling  in  so  many 
keys  of  reproach,  triumph,  and  discomfiture,  as 
various  blows  decided  the  game,  that  the  uproar 
was  extreme.  Meta  rushed  in  among  the  balls, 
regardless  of  the  exclamations  from  all  sides. 

"  Get  out  of  my  way  !  "  cried  Julia,  excitedly. 
"  I  can't  see  that  wicket,  and  I  mean  to  go  right 
through  to  the  stake ! " 

But  before  the  boast  was  well  out  of  her 
mouth,  Meta  confronted  her. 

"  You  are  a  cruel,  dishonorable  girl,"  she 
said  in  a  low  voice,  her  eyes  flashing. 

"  Heyday !  "  said  the  astonished  Julia,  paus 
ing  to  take  aim ;  "  I  believe  you've  lost  your 
wits,  Meta  Wallace." 

"  No,  I  haven't,"  returned  her  cousin,  still  in 
a  very  low  tone ;  "  you  know  I  am  telling  the 


MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 


truth  !  You  have  spied  on  me  and  told  all 
about  me,  and  I  think  you  are  very  mean  and 
cruel  !  " 

"  Meta  Wallace,"  cried  Julia,  in  a  tone  that 
all  could  hear,  "  I  used  to  think  you  were  very 
pious;  but  I  do  declare,  you're  the  greatest  little 
termagant  I  ever  saw  !  Nobody  likes  story 
tellers,  I  can  tell  you  !  We're  not  used  to  it 
here  !  " 

"  Oh,  for  shame,  Julia  !  "  cried  several  voices, 
deprecatingly. 

"  I  mean  just  what  I  say  !  "  answered  Julia, 
turning  sharply  and  defiantly  around  on  the 
group.  "  Meta  knows  very  well  that  she's  always 
singing  psalms  and  saying  her  prayers,  and  now 
she's  ashamed  to  own  it."  And  Julia,  laying  a 
heavy  hand  on  Meta's  shoulder,  shook  her  fin 
ger  scornfully  in  her  face. 

With  blind,  angry  gestures  Meta  strove  to 
release  herself  from  her  cousin's  grasp  ;  and  in 
the  struggle  that  ensued,  Julia  backed  over  the 
croquet  wicket,  bruising  herself  slightly,  and 
putting  a  sudden  termination  to  the  dispute. 
When  she  arose,  scowling  at  Meta,  the  girls 
crowded  around  her  with  offers  of  sympathy  ; 
and,  though  it  had  not  been  Meta's  fault  at  all, 
on  her  shoulders  came  all  the  weight  of  dis 
pleasure.  The  croquet  party,  angry  at  the  in- 


THE  SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  175 

terruption  to  their  game,  and  siding  with  Julia, 
who  vehemently  declared  "  she  was  dead,  and 
Meta  had  killed  her,"  were  pouring  out  their 
wrath,  when  Madame  Seville,  who  had  followed 
the  child,  came  suddenly  on  the  scene. 

"  Sallie  Owens,"  said  madame,  addressing  a 
tall,  handsome  girl,  the  idol  of  the  school  for 
cleverness  and  daring,  "  Sallie  Owens,  tell  me 
the  cause  of  this  disturbance.  I  am  really 
ashamed  of  you,  girls." 

Poor  Meta's  case  had  fallen  into  bad  hands  ; 
for  Sallie  was  madame's  acknowledged  favorite, 
and  Julia's  stanchest  friend. 

"  What  it  means,  madame  ?  "  quoth  the  young 
lady,  indignantly,  looking  contemptuously  at 
Meta.  "  It's  an  exhibition  of  religious  fervor  :  a 
display  of  Saint  Margaret's  temper.  She  gives 
lectures  on  Christian  patience,  and  this  is  the 
way  she  demonstrates  them.  I  always  hated 
saintly  people,  and  now  I  am  sure  they  hide 
claws  !  " 

There  was  a  general  laugh  at  this  display  of 
smartness,  and  Sallie  looked  complacently  at 
madame,  evidently  conscious  of  her  power. 
Madame  did  not  smile  at  the  pleasantry,  yet 
did  not  rebuke  it. 

"  Have  you  anything  to  say  ?"  she  said,  turn 
ing  to  Meta. 


176  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

"  Not  here,"  replied  the  child,  sorrowfully  ;  her 
temper  all  gone,  and  intense  mortification  at 
this  public  disgrace  filling  her  heart.  Though 
conscious  that  she  had  really  not  acted  the 
part  so  volubly  given  to  her  in  Julia's  ex 
cited  account  of  her  fall,  she  sensibly  felt  how 
much  cause  she  had  given  for  sneers  when  her 
practice  had  been  so  different  from  her  creeds. 
Bitterly  she  regretted  that  she  had  not  remon 
strated  with  her  cousin  when  she  was  in  a  better 
frame  of  mind  ;  and  though  she  was  conscious  of 
still  being  roused  at  the  injustice  of  her  posi 
tion,  she  was  too  mortified  and  self-condemned 
to  clear  herself  in  madame's  eyes.  It  was  a  les 
son  of  self-control  learned  so  long  ago  that  it 
was  not  so  hard  to  restrain  herself  as  it  would 
seem. 

Madame,  with  a  few  cutting  reproofs,  dis 
missed  the  party  to  their  several  apartments. 
This  would  have  been  a  great  relief  to  Meta 
but  for  the  difficult  position  she  was  in;  for 
Julia,  being  her  room-mate,  was  just  then  in  a 
frame  of  mind  to  be  very  trying,  and  sufficient 
punishment  in  herself.  Meta  would  have  gladly 
apologized  when  they  were  alone,  but  Julia 
would  not  hear  of  it.  She  was  not  conscious  of 
how  far  she  had  been  unjust  and  untruthful, 
and,  while  trying  to  make  good  her  case  to  mad- 


THE   SEEN  AND   UNSEEN. 


ame,  had  succeeded  in  convincing  herself  that 
Meta  had  done  something  very  bad,  and  she 
had  behaved  with  great  forbearance  and  discre 
tion.  It  was  very  gratifying  to  her  angry  feel 
ings  that  she  had  the  sympathy  of  the  whole 
party,  and  she  wrapped  herself  in  her  dignity, 
and  refused  to  be  won  over  by  anything  her 
cousin  could  say. 

If  Meta  had  not  gone  through  such  training 
in  Felicie's  hands,  it  is  to  be  questioned  whether 
she  could  have  stood  the  tirade  as  long  as  she 
did.  To  her  great  relief,  madame,  who  feared 
something  of  this  kind,  after  a  while  sent  for  her 
to  come  out  in  the  garden,  where  she  proposed 
joining  her  in  a  short  time.  Meta  joyfully  took 
her  hat,  and  left  Julia  to  her  own  reflections, 
preferring  madame's  probable  lecture  to  her 
cousin's  wrathful  reproaches. 


12 


CHAPTER  XX. 

HEN  Meta  reached  the  garden  and  en 
tered  the  pretty  arbor,  covered  with  its 
first  green  leaves  of  spring,  a  feeling  of 
refreshment  and  relief  came  over  her.  Every 
thing  was  so  peaceful,  and  the  air  was  so  fresh 
and  cool,  that  she  could  scarcely  believe  she 
had  been  through  such  turmoil  so  lately. 

The  sight  of  a  large  chair,  with  wheels  at  the 
side,  just  within  the  arbor,  made  her  suddenly 
step  back.  She  had  seen  the  chair  before,  and 
knew  that  the  occupant  was  Mrs.  Leslie's  inva 
lid  sister,  Miss  Clifton,  who  was  to  be  seen 
wheeling  herself  along  the  garden  paths  every 
pleasant  day.  Meta  had  often  wondered  why 
she  never  walked,  and  several  times  had  made 
up  her  mind  to  join  the  groups  of  girls  around 
the  chair  during  recess ;  but  she  had  never 
(178) 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN. 


done  so,  and  would  have  drawn  back  now,  but  a 
sweet  voice  called  out  to  her  to  stay.  Timidly 
she  came  forward,  taking  the  delicate  hand  held 
out  to  her,  and  sat  down  on  the  rustic  bench 
against  which  the  chair  rested.  Since  her  in 
troduction  to  Miss  Clifton,  this  was  the  first 
time  she  had  ever  been  thrown  with  her,  except 
when  surrounded  by  school-girls  ;  and  a  feeling 
of  awe  and  embarrassment  took  possession  of 
her.  But  the  invalid's  voice  was  so  kind,  and 
her  fair,  placid  face  had  something  in  it  so  fas 
cinating,  that  Meta  was  soon  glad  she  had  come. 

"Madame  Seville  has  been  here,"  said  Miss 
Clifton,  after  her  companion  had  become  some 
what  at  her  ease  ;  "  and  I  persuaded  her  to  send 
you  to  me,  my  dear.  I  have  had  some  experi 
ence  in  these  matters,  and  they  do  not  weary 
me  as  they  do  poor  madame,  who  has  so  many 
cases  to  settle.  I  felt  sure  there  was  some  mis 
take  about  it,  and  now  you  are  to  tell  me  just 
howj0#  saw  the  matter;  for  you  know,  my  dear, 
we  do  not  all  see  things  in  the  same  light." 

Looking  earnestly  in  the  kind  face,  Meta  in 
voluntarily  drew  nearer  Miss  Clifton's  chair,  and 
laid  her  hand  in  the  delicate,  outstretched  palm. 
A  wistful  expression  in  the  child's  eyes  made  the 
invalid  draw  Meta's  head  over  on  her  shoulder, 
where  she  soon  found  courage  to  tell  her  story, 


l8O  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

not  without  remorsefully  dwelling  upon  her 
hasty  temper,  and  her  hopes  that  she  would 
learn  how  to  govern  her  spirit  some  of  these 
days,  "  if  she  only  tried  hard."  As  she  went  on 
in  her  recital  of  all  the  provocation  Julia  had 
offered,  yet  without  exonerating  herself,  Miss 
Clifton  was  surprised  to  find  how  persistent  and 
anxious  her  little  penitent  was  to  follow  in  the 
way  Johnny  had  pointed  out.  Of  course,  Johnny 
and  Bridget,  and,  indeed,  all  of  Meta's  life  was 
revealed  to  the  sympathizing  listener  during 
the  long  interview ;  and  before  it  came  to  an 
end,  the  little  girl  was  thoroughly  at  home  and 
very  cheerful  with  her  new  friend. 

"  I  am  so  glad  madame  sent  me  to  you,"  said 
Meta,  confidentially ;  "  I  didn't  know  you  were 
so  nice.  I  used  to  be  afraid  to  speak  —  " 
.  "  I  suppose  because  of  this  formidable  chair," 
smiled  Winny ;  "  I  am  afraid  it  has  frightened 
away  a  good  many  little  girls  with  their  troub 
les  to  somebody  else." 

Meta  looked  as  if  she  very  much  wished  to 
ask  something  about  the  chair,  but  she  did  not 
like  to  question  Miss  Clifton.  Her  expressive 
face,  however,  was  so  inquiring  that  the  invalid 
divined  her  thoughts. 

"  You  are  wondering  why  I  never  leave  my 
chair  ?  "  she  asked,  smiling. 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  l8l 

"  Yes,  I  am,"  said  Meta  ;  "  it  seems  very  com 
fortable,  but  don't  you  get  tired  sometimes  ?  " 

"  Not  often,  dear,  for  I  have  grown  accus 
tomed  to  my  confinement,  and  seldom  think  of 
it  as  a  deprivation.  You  see,  my  hands  are  kept 
busy,  and  I  have  the  comfort  of  moving  about 
after  a  fashion  ;  then,  so  much  that  was  needful 
and  beautiful,  too,  has  come  to  my  life  since  I 
was  first  cut  off  from  greater  usefulness,  that  I 
have  no  need  to  repine.  Do  you  want  to  know 
why  I  never  walk  ?  When  I  was  a  school-girl 
like  yourself,  I  had  a  very  severe  fall  on  the  ice, 
which  so  injured  my  knee  that  I  have  never 
moved  without  assistance  since." 

"  Oh,  how  dreadful !  "  exclaimed  Meta  ;  "  do 
you  mind  telling  me  about  it,  Miss  Clifton  ? " 

"  I  seldom  speak  of  it,"  she  returned,  gravely, 
"  as  it  was  a  very  painful  part  of  my  life ;  but  I 
trust  you  will  profit  by  my  experience.  My  ac 
cident  occurred  during  a  winter  holiday,  when  a 
large  skating  party  was  formed,  and  we  went 
down  to  the  pond,  a  crowd  of  laughing,  heedless 
girls,  ready  for  a  grand  frolic.  Among  my  com 
panions  was  one  who  held  the  same  position 
that  Sallie  Owens  does  here;  she  was  a  gay, 
clever,  daring  girl,  whom  we  all  felt  proud  to 
follow  in  whatever  she  proposed,  no  matter  how 
wild  the  folly.  I  was  her  chosen  friend ;  and  as 


1 82  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

I  never  ventured  to  oppose  her  in  anything,  we 
were  extremely  devoted  to  each  other.  Our  only 
cause  of  rivalry  was  skating,  for  we  were  both 
well-drilled  and  perfectly  fearless;  so,  after  a 
time,  it  became  an  acknowledged  fact  in  the 
school  that  we  were  so  well-matched  that, 
though  the  girls  took  sides  violently,  no  one 
could  decide  which  was  the  better  skater  of  the 
two.  On  this  day,  the  absurd  spirit  of  rivalry 
had  taken  possession  of  our  followers,  and  noth 
ing  would  satisfy  them  but  a  race,  that  the  oft- 
disputed  question  of  our  merit  might  be  decided 
upon.  To  this  Alice  and  I  readily  agreed,  and 
after  some  parley  the  race  began.  The  result 
was  so  exactly  the  same  every  time  we  ran  the 
allotted  space,  there  being  no  visible  difference 
in  the  time  made,  that  we  were  soon  involved  in 
an  eager  dispute,  and  a  great  many  ill-natured 
things  were  said  on  both  sides.  When  we  took 
our  stand  for  a  last  trial,  Alice  and  I  were 
both  very  much  excited.  I  saw  that  she  looked 
tired  and  provoked;  but  a  sneering  remark  just 
before  starting  roused  my  pride  and  anger,  and 
I  did  not  offer,  as  I  had  intended,  to  put  it  off 
till  the  next  holiday,  as  we  were  not  equally 
matched.  I  felt  so  strong  and  sure  of  success, 
that,  as  we  moved  along  swiftly,  I  could  not  for 
bear  laughing  gayly.  A  twig  sticking  up  through 


THE   SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  183 

the  ice  had  turned  Alice's  course  a  hair's-breadth, 
and  a  loud  shout  from  my  partisans  moved  me 
to  wave  my  handkerchief  in  token  of  triumph 
as  I  prepared  to  dart  by ;  but  Alice  was  too 
quick  for  me.  Before  I  could  reach  the  bank 
she  had  recovered  her  position,  and  darted 
across  my  path  with  sudden  energy,  throwing 
me  off  my  balance,  in  the  very  teeth  of  victory, 
and  I  fell  heavily  on  the  ice.  I  did  not  recover 
consciousness  for  several  minutes,  and,  when  I 
did  so,  found  myself  lying  on  the  bank,  a  crowd 
of  scared  faces  looking  into  mine,  and  my  hands 
being  vigorously  chafed.  I  was  carried  to  the 
house,  for  every  movement  made  me  scream 
with  agony ;  and  since  that  day  I  have  never 
walked.  My  knee  was  injured  for  life,  and 
nothing  could  be  done." 

"  And  Alice  ?  "  cried  Meta,  breathlessly.  "  Oh, 
didn't  you  hate  her  all  your  life  ?" 

"  The  suffering  made  me  very  weak  and 
wicked,  my  dear.  For  months  I  groaned  at 
my  fate,  and  refused  to  be  comforted,  cherish 
ing  very  bitter  feelings  towards  Alice,  notwith 
standing  her  vehement  grief  and  despair.  But 
time  changed  all  this,  and  I  have  long  since 
ceased  to  blame  my  old  friend.  We  have  had 
many  tearful  talks  about  it  all,  for  she  was  never 
the  same  after  my  accident,  blaming  herself  in 


184  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

a  morbid  way,  and  never  losing  the  sting  of  self- 
reproach.  But  we  have  been  dear  friends  in 
spite  of  my  unkind  and  cruel  rejection  of  her 
in  those  first  days  of  pain  and  despair." 

"  I  am  afraid  I  would  have  hated  her,"  said 
Meta ;  "  I  am  afraid  I  would  never  have  let  her 
come  near  me  again." 

"  Ah !  that  is  because  you  cely  on  your  own 
strength!  Do  you  suppose  I  could  have  con 
quered  my  revengeful,  unforgiving  spirit  if 
I  had  depended  on  myself  ?  You  must  learn 
to  look  above  for  strength  to  overcome  sinful 
nature,  else  you  cannot  hope  to  claim  the 
promise,  '  In  due  time  ye  shall  reap,  if  ye  faint 
not.' " 

This  was  new  doctrine  to  Meta ;  she  was  go 
ing  a  step  further  in  Christian  experience. 
"  "  But  if  I  keep  looking  above,  and  don't  try 
myself,  how  can  I  ever  be  good  ? "  she  asked,  in 
a  puzzled  tone  of  voice. 

Miss  Clifton  could  not  forbear  smiling. 

"  If  you  keep  your  heart  fixed  above,  Meta, 
and  yet  try  your  utmost,  you  will  follow  both 
my  idea  and  your  own  ;  will  you  not  ?  For  in 
stance  :  it  seems  very  hard  to  you  that  I  am 
unable  to  go  about  like  the  rest  of  you  ;  yet,  by 
God's  blessing,  this  is  to  me  no  longer  a  great 
trial.  I  am  very  happy  in  my  narrow  sphere  of 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  185 

usefulness,  and  am  removed  from  many  tempta 
tions  that  might  have  proved  a  snare  to  my 
weak  heart.  God  knows  what  is  best  for  his 
creatures,  and  I  am  ready  to  do  his  will,  thankful 
that  '  He  who  knows  me  best  shall  choose  for 
me.'  Didn't  you  tell  me  that  Johnny  was  com 
forted  with  the  hope  of  a  new  body  ?  So  am  I, 
dear  Meta.  Think  of  me  as  I  shall  be  then, 
not  as  I  am  now !  " 

Miss  Clifton's  face  beamed  with  faith  and  joy 
as  she  spoke,  and  Meta  looked  very  wistfully  at 
the  radiant  expression  in  her  sweet  eyes. 

"  Don't  you  think,"  she  said,  slowly,  after  a 
pause  —  "don't  you  think  if  my  back  was 
crooked,  or  somebody  broke  my  leg,  I  would 
find  it  easier  to  be  good  ? " 

"  Oh,  no,"  laughed  Miss  Winny ;  "  God  gives 
to  every  seed  its  own  body.  You  would  not  be  a 
better  Christian  in  a  way  of  your  own  choosing. 
God  knows  just  how  far  you  can  be  tried,  and 
what  is  the  salvation  of  one  soul  may  be  hurtful 
and  a  drawback  to  another.  So,  after  all,  dear, 
we  come  back  to  the  first  standpoint :  trust  in 
him.  He  knows  the  end,  we  do  not ;  and  what 
may  seem  to  you  an  easier  road  might  prove  a 
delusion  and  a  snare." 

"  But,  Miss  Winny,  you  and  Johnny  are  the 
best  people  I  ever  saw,  and  yet  you  can't  walk. 
I  was  never  sick  in  my  whole  life  —  " 


1 86  AT  ETA    WALLACE,  OR 

"  Don't  say  it  so  repiningly,"  interrupted  her 
friend,  in  earnest  reproach  ;  "  that  is  a  great 
blessing,  and  not  to  be  received  without  thanks.  * 
God  has  not  chosen  to  send  you  bodily  trials, 
but  you  must  not  reject  the  spiritual.  Shall  I 
tell  you  how  it  strikes  me?  There  is  far  greater 
glory  in  governing  the  heart  than  in  enduring 
physical  suffering.  The  martyr  bares  his  head 
for  the  axe,  knowing  that  with  one  fleet  mortal 
throe  he  gains  the  company  of  his  God  and  the 
angels,  and  he  can  bid  his  coward  heart  take 
courage ;  but  to  conquer  one's  spirit,  bridle  the 
hasty  tongue,  and  live  in  the  world,  exposed  to 
its  countless  temptations  and  crosses,  yet  above 
the  trivialities  of  human  life,  seems  to  me  a 
higher  kind  of  sacrifice,  that  brings  its  own 
great  reward." 

"  I  think  you  are  right,  though  I  don't  believe 
I  know  all  you  mean,"  sighed  Meta ;  then,  after 
a  pause,  "do  you  know,  Miss  Winny,  I'  pray  to 
be  given  a  new  heart,  and  I  try  to  do  as  Johnny 
said ;  but  I  still  get  very  angry,  and  say  wicked 
things  all  the  time  when  I  am  crossed.  Can  it 
be  I  am  too  young  for  God  to  help  me  ? " 

"  Oh,  no,  my  poor  little  one !  "  exclaimed  Miss 
Clifton,  earnestly;  "you  must  not  be  afraid  of 
that.  Take  comfort  in  the  invitation  to  little 
children  to  come  unto  him,  and  never  believe 


THE  SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  lS/ 

that  your  desires  to  do  right  are  not  all  noted 
in  his  Book  of  Life.  Human  friends  may  mis 
judge*  us,  but  God  never  will." 

Here  madame's  sharp  black  eyes  looked  in  on 
the  two. 

"  So,"  she  said,  panting,  and  out  of  breath ; 
"  so  !  I  am  very  glad  to  see,  mademoiselle,  that 
you  have  Meta  in  charge,  and  seem  to  be  get 
ting  on  so  well  with  her  case  !  It  is  a  very  dif 
ferent  expression  to  the  one  she  wore  on  the 
croquet  ground.  Come,  little  lady,  let  me  hear 
your  account  of  yourself !  " 

"  Nay,  madame,"  interposed  Miss  Winny,  see 
ing  that  Meta's  shyness  was  coming  back  under 
the  new  influence  ;  "  if  you  will  only  let  me  dis 
miss  the  plaintiff,  and  give  my  own  version  of 
her  cause,  I  shall  feel  that  I  am  doing  some 
good  to  the  Commonwealth." 

To  this  proposition  madame  consented  after 
some  hesitation,  dismissing  Meta  with  an  in 
junction  to  be  very  careful  of  her  temper  in 
future,  and  above  all  not  to  provoke  her  cousin 
to  wrath,  should  she  not  have  recovered  com 
posure.  Meta  ran  off  very  much  relieved,  and 
was  soon  engrossed  with  a  party  of  eager  cro- 
queters,  who  besieged  her  before  she  reached 
the  house. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

|EXT  in  school  authority  to  Madame  Se 
ville  ranked  Monsieur  Jean,  the  master 
of  languages  and  music.  A  queer  little 
Frenchman  was  Monsieur,  full  of  eccentricities, 
and  held  in  great  awe  among  the  girls,  yet  gifted 
with  a  benevolent  affection  for  everybody  and 
everything  that  was  too  weak  to  stand  up  for 
itself.  He  had  been  known  to  pet  a  number 
of  poor  worthless  dogs  whose  masters  cast 
them  out  upon  the  world ;  not  that  he  liked  the 
miserable-looking  objects,  but  that  they  were 
being  beaten  and  cuffed  about  for  their  ugliness, 
and  this  he  could  not  endure.  Monsieur's  room 
was  almost  a  menagerie  ;  for  he  owned  two  par 
rots,  a  canary,  a  cage  full  of  mocking-birds,  a 
venerable  old  cat  and  her  kittens,  and  a  big 
dog.  He  seemed  to  have  the  gift  of  fascination 

(188) 


THE  SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  189 

over  animals  and  birds ;  and  notwithstanding 
the  incongruous  collection,  there  was  never  any 
wrangling  or  disturbance  in  his  "  happy  family." 
Fortunately  for  the  peace  of  the  establish 
ment,  Mr.  Leslie  had  given  up  to  his  valuable 
but  very  eccentric  professor  a  small  office  in 
the  yard,  where  himself  and  favorites  were  re 
moved  from  the  immediate  effect  of  Madame 
SevilVs  contempt  for  his  tastes.  His  personal 
appearance  being  quite  as  remarkable  as  some 
of  his  ways,  Monsieur  Jean  was  often  a  source 
of  amusement  to  strangers.  He  persisted  in 
wearing  the  most  unique  suit  of  black  velvet, 
cut  after  a  fashion  of  his  own,  and  never 
changed,  however  fashions  might  be  altered ; 
his  queer,  wizened  face  was  not  much  improved 
by  the  addition  of  a  velvet  smoking-cap,  made 
somewhat  in  the  shape  of  a  funnel,  and  elabo 
rately  embroidered  ;  yet  this  was  his  daily  attire. 
Smoking  being  his  chief  employment  when  not 
on  duty  in  school,  he  was  scarcely  ever  seen 
without  a  pipe  of  enormous  length  ;  which,  by 
the  way,  was  kept  in  his  desk  as  a  solace  during 
recess,  and  very  often  used  to  rap  French  verbs 
into  obstinate  heads.  The  girls  were  as  much 
afraid  of  these  unexpected  aids  to  wandering 
brains  as  the  children  of  birchen-rod  experi 
ence  were,  doubtless,  of  that  famed  auxiliary  in 


MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 


the  hands  of  the  old  school-masters,  who  did  not 
spare  the  rod. 

Yet,  notwithstanding  that  Monsieur  Jean  was 
undoubtedly  peculiar,  there  were  none  bold  or, 
indeed,  unkind  enough  to  laugh.  His  good- 
heartedness  and  sympathy  for  the  whole  human 
family  had  grown  into  a  proverb  in  the  neighbor 
hood  ;  for  he  had  dwelt  among  the  people  for 
many  years,  doing  good  silently  yet  effectually, 
antl  burying  his  gifts  away  from  the  great  world 
that  would  not  have  been  sparing  of  praise  for 
the  talents  he  used  so  well  and  yet  so  humbly. 

He  was  known  to  possess  a  neat  income,  and 
only  pursued  his  occupation  in  Mr.  Leslie's 
school  from  sincere  attachment  to  the  family, 
and  a  veritable  genius  he  possessed  for  drilling 
young  brains  in  the  mysteries  of  language  and 
music. 

Meta  Wallace  was  brought  under  his  notice 
and  his  love,  at  first,  through  her  tie  of  blood 
with  the  Leslies,  who  ranked  above  the  rest  of 
the  world  in  his  heart  ;  but  his  enthusiastic  de 
votion  to  music,  in  which  her  one  talent  lay, 
soon  made  her  a  favorite  for  the  sake  of  art. 
Our  little  friend's  voice  was  something  quite 
wonderful  in  compass  and  sweetness  ;  and  no 
""sooner  had  Monsieur  Jean  heard  her  sing,  than 
he  at  once  took  her  under  his  protection,  invit- 


THE  SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  IQI**' 

ing  her  to  his  menagerie  to  admire  the  inmates, 
telling  her  wonderful  tales  of  the  world's  famous 
singers,  and  promising  great  things  for  her  fu 
ture  if  she  would  only  carefully  avoid  the  "  new 
school "  of  music,  for  which  he  had  great  con 
tempt.  Meta  listened  always  attentively,  though 
she  knew  very  little  about  "  schools "  of  that 
kind,  and  found  it  impossible  to  pronounce  the 
names  of  some  of  those  famous  people.  She 
made  herself  still  more  a  favorite  with  her 
teacher  by  diligently  following  his  advice  and 
never  disputing  facts  that  she  knew  nothing 
about;  so,  before  three  months  of  her  school- 
life  had  passed,  she  had  no  stancher  friend  than 
the  kind  old  professor,  who  never  failed  to  show 
the  utmost  interest  in  and  regard  for  her. 

A  few  days  after  the  occurrence  on  the  cro 
quet  ground,  as  the  classes  in  Monsieur's  charge 
sat  demurely  silent  under  his  strict  rule,  Meta, 
who  was  busily  writing  out  a  verb,  was  roused 
by  a  slight  whizzing  sound,  and  a  roll  of  paper 
lodged  on  her  desk. 

"  Silence  ! "  cried  the  professor,  as  a  slight 
clearing  of  the  throat  in  his  vicinity  made  him 
look  up  in  time  to  see  violent  telegraphing  go 
ing  on  behind  the  unconscious  Meta. 

"  Give  it  to  me,  quick  !  "  cried  Sallie  Owens, 
in  a  frightened  whisper,  to  the  little  girl;  "it 


META    WALLACE,  OR 


isn't  meant  for  you,  and  Monsieur  Jean  is  look 
ing  directly  at  me.  Don't  you  see  you'll  get  me 
in  trouble  ?  " 

All  this  was  hurriedly  said  in  a  low  tone, 
while  Meta  quietly  took  the  roll  from  off  her 
copy-book,  and  looked  up  to  find  the  teacher's 
eyes  fixed  on  her  face. 

"What  is  it?"  asked  the  sonorous  voice, 
gravely. 

"  Indeed,  I  don't  know,  sir,"  answered  Meta, 
reluctantly. 

"Humph!  bring  it  here!" 

She  prepared  to  obey,  not  daring  to  do  other 
wise;  but  with  visible  unwillingness,  for  Sallie 
had  caught  her  dress,  saying,  beseechingly  : 

"Hide  it,  swallow  it  —  anything  but  show  it 
to  him  !  " 

Now,  Meta  had  had  enough  of  swallowing  pa 
pers,  and  was  not  disposed  to  try  that  dangerous 
experiment  again  ;  but  she  stood  irresolute  as 
Sallie's  pleading  voice  reached  her  ears.  Here 
was  an  opportunity  of  making  a  friend  of  an  en 
emy  ;  and  why  not  seize  it  ?  There  couldn't  be 
much  harm  in  following  her  impulse,  for  Mon 
sieur  could  only  be  angry  with  her  ;  while,  if  she 
showed  the  paper,  might  it  not  bring  down  some 
dreadful  consequence  on  Sallie's  head  ?  Full  of 
the  magnanimous  purpose  of  taking  the  blame 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEV.  1 93 

on  herself,  and  showing  the  girls  that  she  wasn't 
as  bad  as  they  thought  her,  Meta  deliberately 
tore  the  paper  in  several  pieces,  just  as  Mon 
sieur  Jean  came  down  the  little  space  between 
the  desks,  his  black  cap  nodding  and  shaking 
from  the  excitement  of  its  owner  being  so 
openly  defied. 

"  What  paper  was  that  ?  "  he  asked,  in  awful 
tones,  grasping  Meta's  hands,  and  securing  the 
pieces. 

"  I  don't  know,  sir,"  she  faltered,  very  much 
alarmed  at  the  course  things  were  taking.  It 
wasn't  so  easy  to  be  magnanimous,  after  all. 

"Don't  know  ?"  repeated  the  professor,  quite 
indignant;  "  then  why  tear  it  up  ?  " 

No  answer. 

"  You  shall  not  impose  on  me,"  he  cried,  with 
a  frown.  "  Stay  here  one,  two,  three  hours  after 
my  class  goes,  and  write  out  twenty-five  lines 
of  '  Phedre.'  I  teach  you  to  tear  up  paper  in 
my  face  !  Humph  !  such  child  !  " 

With  a  glance  out  of  the  little  sharp  eyes  that 
made  her  tremble,  Monsieur  Jean,  taking  the  torn 
paper,  went  back  to  his  desk ;  and  Meta,  with 
a  sinking  heart,  went  back  to  the  conjugation 
of  her  verb.  The  moods  and  tenses  danced  and 
swam  before  the  dark  eyes,  now  brimful  of 
tears.  She  dared  not  look  up,  for  an  ominous 


IQ4  '  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

silence  had  settled  in  the  room,  and  she  felt 
those  keen  eyes  were  watching  her.  How  was 
she  ever  to  write  "  Phedre  ?  "  She  didn't  under 
stand  half  the  words,  and  she  knew  he  would 
want  it  done  without  the  book.  Oh,  how  dread 
ful  it  was  he  had  forgotten  that  she  never  had 
looked  inside  of  that  awful  Racine,  and  didn't 
belong  to  that  class  !  What  would  become  of 
her? 

Meanwhile,  Sallie  Owens,  though  she  made  no 
sign,  was  in  quite  as  miserable  a  frame  of  mind. 
Once  she  rose  in  her  seat  as  if  to  speak,  but  sat 
down  confusedly  when  she  found  Monsieur  Jean 
looking  around  the  room,  and  did  not  come  to 
Meta's  assistance.  Just  before  dismissing  his 
classes,  Monsieur  called  the  culprit  up  to  his 
desk.  She  obeyed,  with  flushed  face  and  hesi 
tating  step,  very  much  afraid  to  hear  her  sen 
tence.  The  professor  silently  pointed  to  a 
patched-up  sheet  of  paper,  lying  on  his  desk, 
which  proved  to  be  the  one  she  had  torn.  It 
was  a  tolerable  representation  of  the  scene  be 
tween  Meta  and  Julia  on  the  croquet  ground, 
picturing  the  former  in  very  alarming  colors. 

"You  did  not  caricature  yourself,"  said  Mon 
sieur,  grimly  ;  "  now  tell  me  who  did  !" 

Meta  looked  up,  blushing  crimson  at  sight  of 
herself,  so  cleverly  yet  so  maliciously  carica- 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  195 

tured.  This  was  §o  different  from  what  she  had 
pictured,  that  she  almost  gave  way  under  the 
temptation  to  expose  the  artist,  who  had  been 
amusing  herself  at  her  expense  ;  but  she  did  not 
abandon  her  purpose  of  making  a  friend  of 
Sallie,  even  for  this.  Though  despising  the  lit 
tleness  that  could  have  prompted  such  a  draw 
ing,  Meta  wisely  resolved  not  to  revenge  herself 
as  most  children  would  have  done,  and,  though 
she  felt  very  sorry  to  have  incurred  her  teach 
er's  displeasure,  would  not  betray  her  schoolmate, 
and  refused  to  answer  Monsieur's  repeated  in 
quiry  as  to  the  author's  name. 

"  Then  you  defy  me  ?  "  asked  Monsieur,  glow 
ering  on  her  —  "even  if  I  keep  you  here,  one, 
two,  three  hours  alone,  and  make  you  write 
four,  five,  six  verb  ? " 

"  I  cannot  tell,"  she  said,  resolutely. 

"Then  go  back  to  your  seat,  and  do  not  move 
till  I  tell  you  —  go  !  "  And  Monsieur,  deeply 
offended,  turned  to  his  book  without  looking 
at  her  again. 

In  a  few  minutes  after  Meta  had  returned  to 
her  seat,  the  observed  of  all  eyes,  Monsieur  Jean 
dismissed  the  classes.  After  the  noise  of  depart 
ure  had  subsided,  and  the  door  closed  after  the 
last  girl,  Meta  bowed  her  head  on  the  desk  to 
hide  her  tears.  She  had  looked  beseechingly  in 


196  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

Sallic  Owens's  face  as  she  went  out  with  the 
rest,  but  no  help  came  from  that  quarter.  Sallic, 
though  she  admired  moral  courage  in  others,  did 
not  possess  the  quality,  for  all  her  bold  self-con 
fidence  ;  and  Meta  was  left  to  brave  Monsieur's 
anger  alone. 

A  long  silence  followed  the  girl's  departure, 
which  was  finally  broken  by  the  sharp  click  of 
the  key  in  Monsieur  Jean's  desk,  as  he  prepared 
to  leave  the  room.  Gathering  up  an  armful  of 
books  and  papers,  he  came  to  Meta's  desk,  and 
looked  down  on  the  bowed  head  reflectively. 

"  You  no  write  your  '  Phedre  ? '  "  he  asked, 
suddenly.  "  Child,  what  you  mean  by  such 
ways  ?  I  keep  you  here  all  day,  if  you  defy 
me  so ! " 

"  I  don't  mean  to  defy  you,"  she  sobbed,  rais 
ing  her  tearful  face  a  moment ;  "  I  only  can't 
write  'Phedre.'" 

"  Can't  write  ?     What  for  not  ?  " 

"Because — indeed,  Monsieur — I'm  not  in 
that  class,  and  I  can't  pronounce  the  words," 
she  faltered,  beseechingly. 

"  So  ! "  said  monsieur,  in  a  grave  voice.  "  And 
you  won't  tell  me  who  did  that  piece  ? " 

"  I  can't,  I  can't !  Oh,  please  don't  ask  me  ! " 
she  cried,  laying  her  hand  on  his  arm  entreat- 
ingly  ;  "  I  couldn't  tell  you.  I'd  rather  try  to 
write  the  hard  words,  Monsieur." 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  \QJ 

Monsieur  shrugged  his  shoulders  impatiently, 
and  turned  away.  With  his  hand  on  the  door, 
he  gave  her  one  more  trial. 

"  You  tell  me  the  smart  artist  ?  Come !  "  he 
cried,  coaxingly  ;  "  then  you  go  out  and  play 
with  the  rest !  " 

Meta,  too  tearful  to  make  answer,  could  only 
shake  her  head. 

"Then,"  said  Monsieur,  out  of  patience  — 
"then  you  write  me  two  verbs,  and  a  long  ex 
ercise  !  You  no  need  to  mind  '  Phedre '  this 
time  !  "  And,  so  saying,  he  slammed  the  door 
after  him,  and  went  off. 

Meta  bore  her  sentence  bravely.  To  be  sure, 
the  room  was  very  lonely,  and  looked  twice  as 
big  now  that  it  was  empty  of  all  but  desks  and 
benches ;  but  after  a  good  cry  she  cheered  up, 
and  took  out  her  exercise-book  to  write  the 
verbs.  A  little  resolution  helped  the  matter 
wonderfully  ;  and  by  the  time  she  had  finished 
one  verb,  she  had  conquered  the  desire  to  be 
very  miserable,  and  took  a  brighter  view  of  the 
punishment.  After  all,  she  did  not  feel  sure  that 
her  magnanimous  treatment  of  Sallie  Owens  was 
altogether  right ;  but,  having  made  up  her  mind 
to  refer  the  matter  to  Miss  Clifton,  she  did  not 
trouble  herself  with  doubts,  and  worked  herself 
into  a  state  of  great  self-satisfaction  at  having 


IQ8  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

been  so  brave  before  the  girls  who  disliked  her 
and  called  her  "  spooney."  It  wasn't  a  bit 
"spooney"  to  take  Sallie's  punishment  upon 
herself,  she  was  sure  of  that,  and  wondered  very 
much  what  the  girls  would  think  of  her  conduct. 

Meanwhile,  the  girls  were  really  discussing 
her  as  follows : 

"  I  didn't  think  she  had  that  much  in  her," 
cried  one  of  Sallie's  followers,  as  that  young  her 
oine  recounted  the  state  of  the  case  to  an  eager 
group.  "  Who  would  have  believed  the  little 
thing  could  actually  refuse  to  tell  Monsieur 
Jean  ?  " 

"And  stay  in  that  dismal  room  by  herself, 
bothering  with  old  Racine  !  I'm  glad  it  wasn't 
me,"  said  another. 

"  It's  well  it  wasn't,"  interrupted  Sallie,  scorn 
fully  ;  "  I  don't  think  I'd  have  come  out  of  the 
scrape  so  well,  Emma.  I  tell  you  what,  girls, 
I've  been  real  mean  and  cross  to  that  child,  and 
I  intend  to  make  up  for  it ;  she's  worth  all  the 
rest  of  you  put  together !  I'd  like  to  know 
which  of  you  would  have  braved  Monsieur  Jean 
for  a  girl  that  was  always  snubbing  and  teasing 
you!  You  wouldn't  have  done  it  for  me,  for  all 
you  make  such  a  fuss  over  my  perfections." 

"  Oh,  yes,  we  would,  Sallie !  "  cried  several  in 
dignant  voices. 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  1 99 

"  Don't  believe  a  word  of  it,"  she  answered, 
with  great  unconcern.  "/  like  a  girl  that  has 
courage  enough  to  stand  up  for  a  body  ;  and  I 
tell  you  what,  if  anybody  meddles  with  Meta 
Wallace  after  this,  /'//  settle  with  them  !  She's 
under  my  protection  in  the  future.  I  believe 
there's  a  heap  in  her  that  only  wants  the  right 
kind  of  bringing  out,  and  I'm  going  to  develop 
her  qualities.  Shes  not  '  spooney/  and  the  very 
first  girl  that  calls  her  that,  or  '  Saint  Margaret,' 
or  any  other  name,  will  please  hold  herself  re 
sponsible  to  me  /" 

Sallie  concluded  with  a  grand  air,  looking 
around  on  her  faithful  allies  in  a  very  determined 
way;  but  no  one  ventured  to  say  anything. 
Two  or  three  of  the  girls  who  were  not  abso 
lutely  bewitched  by  her  fascinations  remem 
bered  that  Sallie' s  conduct  in  the  class-room  had 
not  exhibited  the  same  degree  of  courage  that 
had  called  forth  her  admiration  of  Meta;  but 
even  these  made  no  comment  upon  the  avowed 
championship  of  the  friendless  child,  and  very 
naturally  resolved  to  follow  their  leader  in  her 
new  freak. 

Under  the  protection  of  Sallie  Owens,  and 
courted  by  those  who  had  formerly  disdained 
her,  Meta's  life  at  school  underwent  a  marked 
change.  She  was  at  once  introduced  to  the  for- 


2OO  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

midablc  school-clique  that  had  managed  hereto 
fore  to  make  her  very  unhappy,  and  she  found 
the  difference  in  her  position  very  pleasant. 
Though  she  now  saw  and  heard  many  things 
that  her  conscience  could  not  approve,  and  very 
often  blushed  at  the  consciousness  that  Johnny, 
and  even  Miss  Winny,  would  not  countenance 
her  new  friends,  Meta  was  too  inexperienced  not 
to  give  way  before  the  flattering  attentions  lav 
ished  on  her,  and  gave  little  heed  to  the  "  still, 
small  voice  "  warning  her  away  from  the  bland 
ishments  of  this  miniature  world. 

There  is  often  a  turning-point  in  life  long  be 
fore  it  is  suspected  by  those  who  look  on,  much 
less  by  the  one  who  is  actually  passing  the 
boundary;  and  this  turn  had  come  for  Meta 
now.  Exposed  to  the  leadership  of  girls  of 
weak  principles  and  many  qualities  calculated 
to  blind  and  mislead  an  inexperienced  child,  it 
would  have  required  greater  self-control  and 
wiser  resistance  than  are  often  found  in  maturer 
years,  had  our  young  friend  remained  entirely 
insensible  to  such  influence.  It  is  a  mistake 
to  suppose  that  school  impressions  are  not  fre 
quently  lasting,  and  to  place  a  low  estimate  up 
on  the  powers  for  good  and  ill  —  perhaps  for  a 
life-time  —  that  are  vested  in  early  association. 
When  those  in  whom  we  find  talent  and  fasci- 


THE  SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  2OI 

nation,  and  who  win  the  first  enthusiastic  regard 
of  youth,  sneer  and  scoff  at  what  we  have  been 
taught  to  hold  sacred,  if  it  does  not  weaken 
principle  and  make  us  ashamed  to  avow  what  is 
considered  a  pitiable  weakness,  it  at  least  rubs 
off  the  first  horror  with  which  we  hear  our  con 
victions  lightly  spoken  of  and  combated.  It 
makes  us  gloss  over  and  smile  at  what  would 
once  have  appalled  and  dismayed. 

And  so  with  Meta.  She  was  at  first  greatly 
shocked  at  the  irreligion  and  irreverence  of  the 
clever  girls  who  sought  her  out  and  flattered 
her,  but  by  degrees  she  ceased  to  remonstrate, 
and  sometimes  smiled  when  Sallie  indulged  her 
wit  at  the  expense  of  virtue  and  holiness.  Con 
science  had  a  hard  fight,  and  was  often  routed; 
for  Meta  had  found,  even  in  this  quiet  retreat, 
full  opportunity  of  battling  against  the  world. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

ELL,  Alicia !  "  cried  Mr.  Wallace,  one 
morning,  handing  an  open  letter  across 
the  table  to  his  wife ;  "  I  think,  of  all 
Quixotic  creatures,  Joe  Ascher  takes  the  lead. 
Read  that  letter,  and  tell  me  what  you  think  of 
his  scheme." 

"  Has  he  found  another  little  miracle  of  good 
ness  to  adopt  ? "  asked  Florence,  demurely. 

"No,"  replied  her  father,  helping  himself  to 
the  dish  before  him ;  "  no,  not  exactly,  daugh 
ter.  He  is  only  going  on  a  pilgrimage  to  the 
Holy  Land,  and  writes  in  the  most  enthusiastic 
school-boy  style  of  what  he  hopes  to  do  and  see. 
Fancy  his  trying  to  inspire  me  with  some  of  his 
ardor,  and  begging  that  I  should  pick  up  my 
family,  and  go  too  !  That  would  be  sensible  at 
my  time  of  life — eh,  Florry  ? " 

(202) 


THE   SEEN  AND   UNSEEN. 


203 


"  I  don't  know  about  Palestine,"  returned 
Florence,  laughing;  "I  can't  exactly  picture 
mamma  looking  at  fusty  old  ruins  and  tombs. 
But,  papa,  why  don't  you  take  us  to  Europe  this 
year  ?  I  think  it  would  be  such  a  good  idea  to 
spend  the  summer  at  the  German  spas  ;  every 
body  goes  these  days,  you  know." 

"  So  they  do,"  cried  Mrs.  Wallace,  looking  up 
eagerly  as  she  finished  the  letter  ;  "  it  is  strange 
that  with  our  means  we  should  go  poking  off  to 
these  wretched  American  watering-places  every 
year.  It  was  only  the  other  day  that  Mrs.  Liv 
ingston  looked  so  surprised  that  I  had  actually 
never  crossed  the  ocean.  She  wouldn't  believe 
me  for  a  long  time." 

"  Women  are  never  satisfied,"  said  Mr.  Wal 
lace.  ".Suppose  you  do"  go,  how  long  would  it  be 
before  I  should  have  to  follow  Ascher  to  Pales 
tine,  just  because  everybody  goes  these  days?" 

"  Really,  Mr.  Wallace,"  replied  his  wife,  lan 
guidly,  "  if  there  is  to  be  a  discussion  about  it, 
pray  have  your  own  way.  Florry,  did  you  look 
at  that  mauve  silk  at  Arnold's  yesterday  ? " 

Here  followed  a  discussion  of  the  silk  in  ques 
tion  ;  and  Mr.  Wallace,  used  to  these  summary 
modes  of  proceeding,  turned  to  the  letter,  and 
glanced  over  the  contents  again. 

"  Where  is  the  enclosure  for  Meta  ? "  he  asked, 
suddenly  addressing  his  wife. 


2O4  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

"The  enclosure  for  Meta?"  she  repeated. 
"  Really,  I  had  forgotten  all  about  it.  Here  it  is 
in  the  envelope,  I  think.  Let's  see  what  he 
says  to  his  paragon  !  " 

-After  a  short  silence,  she  exclaimed,  pettishly : 
"  Well !  It's  quite  out  of  the  question  to  send 
this  letter  to  Meta ;  she  is  absurdly  quiet  and 
grave,  anyhow,  and  I  shall  put  a  stop  to  that 
intimacy.  Thank  fortune,  the  man  is  going  to 
the  ends  of  the  earth  ;  just  listen  to  his  non 
sense,  Edward."  And  she  read  out  the  follow 
ing  extract : 

Do  you  know,  little  one,  that  your  earnest  face  and  your 
stirring  words  have  sent  me  off  on  a  pilgrimage  ?  I  am  so 
anxious  to  keep  my  promise  faithfully,  that  I  have  determined 
to  carry  my  skepticism  into  the  very  scene  of  faith;  to  tread 
step  by  step  the  sorrowful  path  which  has  brought  about  such 
wonderful  results  for  the  good  of  mankind  ;  and  see  if,  by  the 
blessing  of  God  and  my  little  friend's  prayers,  a  face-to-face 
encounter  with  the  grounds  of  the  Christian's  belief  may  not 
work  in  me  some  mighty  change.  I  will  not  deny  that  there 
is  much  beside  my  desire  to  "  love  God  "  that  has  determined 
me  to  visit  the  Holy  Land;  but  what  may  not  such  believing 
prayers  as  yours,  my  little  friend,  effect  in  working  out  my 
salvation  ?  Of  course  you  are  praying  for  me,  are  you  not  ?  .  .  . 

"  Now,  isn't  that  an  idea  ? "  cried  Mrs.  Wal 
lace,  looking  up.  "  As  if  Meta  wasn't  hard 
enough  to  manage,  without  filling  her  head 
with  such  things !  I'm  very  thankful  that 


THE   SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  2O$ 

she  didn't  go  with  him,  really.  The  next  thing, 
he'll  be  advising  her  to  go  into  a  convent,  or  one 
of  the  sisterhoods  ;  and  she's  so  excitable  and 
foolish,  I  believe  she  will  do  something  of  that 
kind  yet.  No,  indeed,  Mr.  Joseph  Ascher,"  she 
continued,  quoting  angrily  from  the  letter  in 
hand  ;  "  no,  indeed  !  You  won't  get  any  such 
'  encouraging  letters  from  your  sweet  young 
friend,'  nor  write  her  those  interesting  accounts 
of  '  your  battle  against  doubt.'  This  is  the  end 
of  your  influence  with  Meta,  or  I  am  very  much 
mistaken  ! " 

Here  Mrs.  Wallace  bade  Thomas  throw  Meta's 
letter  in  the  fire;  and  when  she  saw  it  in  ablaze, 
she  gave  a  sigh  of  relief,  and  rose  from  the  table. 

"  Do  you  intend  to  stop  the  correspondence  ?  " 
asked  Mr.  Wallace,  gravely.  "  Remember,  Ali 
cia,  that  we  can  hardly  hold  Ascher  to  his  pro 
posals,  if  we  forbid  him  to  write  to  the  child  —  " 

"  I  do  not  desire  a  penny  of  his  fortune  for 
Meta,"  interrupted  the  mother,  excitedly ;  "  when 
I  refused  his  pretentious  offer,  I  meant  just  what 
I  said,  and  do  not  intend  to  change  my  mind. 
Of  course,  I  shall  stop  the  correspondence! 
Meta  need  never  know  that  he  wrote,  and  I  shall 
assuredly  give  him  a  piece  of  my  mind,  and  re 
quest  him  not  to  write  to  her  again.  When 
will  you  answer  his  letter  ? " 


2O6  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

"  I  believe  I  will  not  answer  at  all,  but  turn 
the  matter  over  to  you,  and  you  may  do  as  you 
please.  I  think  you  are  half  right.  Ascher  is  a 
good-enough  fellow,  but  very  eccentric  ;  perhaps 
it  is  better  for  Meta  to  be  kept  from  his  influ 
ence  yet  awhile.  Meanwhile,  Florry,"  turning 
to  his  daughter  —  "  meanwhile,  you  and  I  will 
talk  about  our  trip  to  Europe,  won't  we  ?" 

"  That  we  will ! "  cried  Florry,  clapping  her 
hands.  "You  are  a  dear,  good,  jolly  papa  to 
think  of  it.  When  shall  we  go  ? " 

"  Whenever  mamma  pleases,"  he  said,  smiling. 

"  Are  you  in  earnest,  Mr.  Wallace  ? " 

"  Perfectly,  my  dear.  Florry's  idea  is  a  cap 
ital  one.  The  only  difficulty  is,  poor  little 
Meta—" 

"  She  can  easily  stay  with  Sidney,"  interposed 
her  mother,  hastily.  "  I  am  glad  to  see  that  she 
has  made  so  much  progress  in  music  and  lan 
guages,  and  seems  to  be  something  of  a  favorite 
with  Sidney's  wife.  I  haven't  the  least  fear  of 
leaving  her  in  such  hands." 

"  But  we  might  take  her  abroad  to  school," 
suggested  Mr.  Wallace,  his  heart  reproaching 
him  for  not  insisting  upon  her  claims  being 
considered. 

"  No,"  said  his  wife,  very  decidedly,  "  there's 
no  sense  in  any  such  thing.  Meta  is  only  twelve 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  2QJ 

now,  recollect,  and  she  must  not  be  interrupted 
at  her  studies.  If  she  went  abroad,  there  would 
be  no  possibility  of  having  her  suitably  educated, 
for  I  know  your  courage  would  give  out  if  she 
had  to  be  left  at  one  of  those  foreign  schools." 

"  That's  true,"  sighed  the  father,  ruefully  ;  "  I 
expect  you  know  best,  Alicia.  But  poor  little 
Meta  has  not  been  at  home  since  she  left  us, 
remember." 

"  Of  course,  I  remember ;  but  how  could  I  help 
it  ?  The  first  vacation,  wasn't  I  obliged  to  take 
Florry  out  of  the  city  early  ?  and  last  summer, 
wasn't  my  trip  out  West  of  sufficient  impor 
tance  to  —  " 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  suppose  it's  all  right,"  sighed  Mr. 
Wallace,  lighting  a  cigar,  and  preparing  to  leave 
the  dining-room.  "  You  and  Florry  can  arrange 
it  between  you,  somehow,  and  before  we  go  we 
will  run  up  for  a  little  visit  to  Meta,  won't  we  ? " 

"  If  I  can  find  time.  There,  Mr.  Wallace,  pray 
don't  talk  as  if  I  were  neglecting  that  child  !  I 
wish,  when  you  are  always  insinuating  such  disa 
greeable  things,  you  would  sometimes  think  of 
Florry's  cough,  that  keeps  me  dosing  and  nurs 
ing  her." 

"  Florry's  cough  !  "  echoed  her  father,  looking 
in  the  beautiful,  fair  face  of  his  darling ;  "  why, 
sweet  child,  I  never  noticed  your  cough  !  How 
long  has  she  had  one,  Alicia  ?  " 


2O8  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

"  Just  like  a  man ! "  cried  Mrs.  Wallace,  pet 
tishly.  "  Your  thoughts  run  in  one  groove,  and 
I  believe  if  we  all  died  off  under  your  eyes  you'd 
never  know  it !  Of  course,  Florry  has  a  slight 
cough;  just  enough  for  me  to  spend  all  my 
pocket  money  in  '  Cherry  Pectoral,'  and  such 
things,"  in  a  grieved  tone. 

"  I  am  sure,  mamma,"  said  Florry,  as  the  slight 
cough  came  on  in  confirmation  of  her  mother's 
words  —  "  I  am  sure  I  hate  and  detest  those  syr 
ups.  Don't  make  papa  believe  I  want  any  more 
money  to  invest  in  them.  You  know  I  threw 
that  last  bottle  of  '  Pectoral '  in  the  fire-place." 

"Well,  well,"  said  Mr.  Wallace,  soothingly ; 
"  never  mind,  Florry !  I'll  have  some  kind  of 
cough  mixture  made  into  candy  for  you.  Ali 
cia,"  he  went  on,  gravely,  after  sending  Florence 
up-stairs  for  a  hook  he  had  suddenly  remem 
bered  to  want.  "  Alicia,  that  girl  is  dreadfully 
pale  and  frag'le.  Why  have  you  never  before 
told  me  about  a  cough  ? " 

"  Now,  don't  get  so  excited,  Mr.  Wallace ! 
There's  no  use  in  making  a  mountain  out  of  a 
mole-hill.  Florry  has  taken  a  wretched  cold, 
and  she  is  pale,  because  she  mopes  in  this  un 
interesting  place  so  long." 

"  Humph  !  I  hope  it's  no  worse,  dear.  Your 
aunt  died  of  some  lung  affection,  you  know." 


THE  SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  2CXJ 

"  Mercy  on  us,  Mr.  Wallace  !  You  are  enough 
to  scare  a  body's  life  out  of  her !  Don't  sug 
gest  such  a  thing,  please.  Hush  !  here  comes 
Florry  now." 

"  Good-bye,  my  pet,"  said  the  father,  caress 
ingly,  as  he  kissed  her  forehead,  and  handed 
her  a  crisp,  new  bank-note.  "  Go  down  town 
with  mamma  this  morning,  and  buy  something 
pretty  for  your  European  tour.  We  must  get  off 
as  soon  as  you  women  can  fix  yourselves  up." 

"  Flaxseed  candy,"  wrote  Mr.  Wallace  in  his 
note-book  as  he  rode  down  town.  "  I'll  have  to 
keep  an  eye  on  Florry.  I  don't  like  that  ex 
treme  languor,  and  she  is  as  thin  as  a  lath.  We 
must  try  sea  air  at  once.  Poor  little  girl !  her 
Aunt  Edith  went  off  just  like  this;  pale  in  the 
morning,  rosy  as  a  peach'  by  dinner-time,  and  so 
indifferent  to  everything !  Lord  help  us  !  " 

It  was  not  often  that  Mr.  Wallace's  ejacula 
tions  were  of  a  prayerful  kind,  but  this  one  came 
from  his  heart.  He  had  been  so  long  used  to 
his  daughter's  delicate  appearance  that  he  sel 
dom  thought  of  it ;  but  the  bare  mention  of  a 
cough  made  him  shudder.  The  idea  of  trying 
change  of  scene  and  the  excitement  of  travel 
for  his  darling  was  fixed  in  his  mind,  and  from 
that  day  extensive  preparations  went  on  for  the 
projected  tour. 

14 


2IO  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

Mr.  Wallace,  like  all  unobservant,  careless 
people,  when  once  aroused  to  a  possible  danger, 
exaggerated  the  extent  of  it,  and  made  himself 
miserable  over  trifles.  Florry  was  dosed  with 
quack  medicines,  and  made  to  undergo  a  species 
of  torture ;  never  allowed  to  set  foot  on  the 
ground,  and  growing  heartily  sick  of  being  so 
tenderly  watched.  Her  father  was  in  a  fever  of 
impatience  to  try  the  sea-voyage,  and  urged  up 
on  his  wife  the  importance  of  haste  whenever 
they  were  alone.  But  Mrs.  Wallace  did  not 
think  seriously  of  the  cough  at  all,  and  would 
not  be  warned.  She  was  engrossed  in  prepara 
tions  for  departure,  and  quite  carried  away  at 
the  prospect  of  a  long  residence  abroad ;  for  the 
father  had  agreed  that,  if  Florry  improved  very 
much,  they  might  make  a  two  years'  tour,  and 
there  was  so  much  Mat  in  this  grand  way  of 
"  doing  Europe  "  that  Mrs.  Wallace  could  think 
of  nothing  else. 

Meta's  first  knowledge  of  the  proposed  voy 
age  came  to  her  quite  suddenly,  and  she  was 
overwhelmed  with  grief.  She  had  cheerfully 
borne  the  disappointment  of  not  spending  her 
vacations  at  home,  because  she  knew  that  she 
would  have  been  left  at  Bellevue  with  Walker, 
and  never  expected  her  mother  to  do  more  than 
send  her  large  boxes  of  nice  things  and  plenty 


THE  SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  211 

of  pocket  money.  There  were  always  summer 
boarders  among  the  girls  at  the  Leslies',  and  she 
found  their  society  much  more  enlivening  than 
her  solitary  life  at  Bellevue  would  have  been. 
But  it  was  one  thing  to  be  content,  knowing 
that  in  any  emergency  she  might  go  home  or 
summon  her  parents,  and  quite  another  and 
more  painful  thing  to  be  separated  by  miles  of 
ocean  and  land  from  all  who  were  near  to  her 
heart. 

Meta  had  learned  a  good  deal  from  her  expe 
rience  and  observation  among  other  girls,  and 
she  could  but  feel  the  contrast  between  the  rela 
tions  of  some  of  her  friends  to  their  mothers  and 
her  own  case.  It  was  very  mortifying  that  they 
were  all  so  willing  to  be  rid  of  her ;  this  she  had 
felt  when  the  first  refusal  of  permission  to  spend 
the  holidays  at  home  had  come  as  a  sudden 
damper  to  her  joyful  anticipations.  But  she  had 
never  believed  it  possible  that  they  could  leave 
her  and  go  across  the  ocean  for  such  a  length  of 
time,  and  sobbed  out  her  mortification  and  sor 
row  so  piteously  on  her  father's  shoulder,  when 
he  made  the  announcement,  in  the  brief  visit 
before  the  family  left,  that  he  was  more  than 
half  inclined  to  bid  her  pack  up  and  return  with 
him  to  New  York.  Mrs.  Wallace  had  found  it 
impossible  to  pay  Meta  a  visit,  as  she  was  con- 


212  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

fined  to  her  room  for  a  week  before  the  vessel 
sailed ;  so  Florry  and  Mr.  Wallace  made  the 
family  adieux,  supplying  the  lonely  girl  with 
various  kinds  of  confectionery  and  sweetmeats, 
but  denying  her  what  she  so  craved :  tc  be 
taken  to  the  family  love  as  Florry  was. 

"  You  will  see  Mr.  Ascher,"  she  said,  when 
composure  had  been  gained  by  a  great  effort, 
"  do  say  ever  so  much  for  me,  Florry.  I  wonder 
why  he  never  wrote  to  me  but  once,  and  did 
not  answer  my  last  letter." 

Florence  shook  her  curls,  looking  very  con 
scious,  and  Mr.  Wallace  hummed  a  tune. 

"  Men  forget,"  announced  the  sister,  senten- 
tiously ;  "  and  then,  Mr.  Ascher  is  going  to  the 
Holy  Land." 

"/shouldn't  forget,  though,"  cried  Meta,  "if 
I  went  ever  so  often  to  the  Holy  Land."  And 
then,  a  sense  of  the  parting  coming  over  her,  she 
said  no  more.  Disappointments  were  not  new 
to  her;  and  though  she  felt  grieved  that  Mr. 
Ascher  could  so  soon  have  forgotten,  she  was 
hardly  surprised  that  even  this  friendship  had 
some  shade  in  it. 

Mr.  Wallace,  though  he  did  not  follow  his  in 
clinations,  and  allow  Meta  to  be  of  the  party, 
did,  upon  reflection  and  a  consultation  with 
Florry,  who  sympathized  with  Meta's  depriva- 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN. 


tion,  allow  her  to  go  home  for  a  few  days  to  say 
good-bye  to  mamma.  Mrs.  Wallace,  who  had 
never  thought  of  such  a  simple  plan,  was  quite 
pleased  at  sight  of  the  child,  and  caressed  her  so 
affectionately,  praising  her  improved  looks  and 
manners  with  so  much  satisfaction,  that  the 
parting  was  made  still  more  difficult. 

At  last  the  day  of  departure  arrived,  and  the 
steamship  went  on  her  way.  Meta,  standing  on 
the  wharf,  disconsolate  and  tearful,  amid  all  the 
bustle  and  noise,  leaned  heavily  on  Cousin  Sid 
ney's  arm,  and  waved  her  handkerchief  until 
tears  blinded  her  sight  and  Mr.  Leslie  consider 
ately  led  her  back  to  the  carriage. 

The  return  to  school,  and  the  days  of  loneli 
ness  that  followed,  made  her  very  sad  ;  but  by 
the  time  her  first  long,  kind  letter  from  her 
mother  was  received,  she  had  fallen  into  the  old 
routine,  and  regained  her  cheerfulness.  This 
separation  would  have  been  more  severely  felt 
had  she  not  been  thrown  so  much  on  her  own 
resources  as  to  be  schooled  into  greater  self- 
reliance,  and  somewhat  outside  the  real  influ 
ences  of  home.  Everybody  was  kind  and  affec 
tionate,  pitying  her  for  the  trial,  and  lavishing 
many  tendernesses  she  had  never  found  at 
home.  Miss  Clifton  and  Mrs.  Leslie,  and  even 
Madame  Seville,  made  the  first  days  pass  off 


214  META    WALLACE. 

more  quickly  by  constant  attention,  and  Mon 
sieur  Jean  was  kindness  itself ;  so,  on  the  whole, 
though  it  seemed  a  very  bitter  thing  to  bear  at 
first,  she  really  had- lost  only  in  name  the  watch 
fulness  of  a  mother's  love. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

OR  some  weeks  after  Meta's  return  to 
school,  the  influence  of  Sallie  Owens 
and  her  clique,  which  had  been  silently 
working  so  long,  was  considerably  weakened. 
The  society  of  reckless  girls  was  not  so  agree 
able  now  that  she  was  sad  and  sorrowful,  and 
many  things  grated  upon  her  sense  of  duty 
which  she  had  not  noticed  before.  The  truth 
is,  Meta  had  yielded  unconsciously  to  the  evil, 
and  scarcely  knew  how  far  she  had  strayed  from 
her  self-appointed  path  until,  in  looking  over 
her  summer  dresses  one  half-holiday,  she  found 
Johnny's  Bible  under  a  pile  of  muslins,  and  the 
page  of  sentences,  once  so  precious,  folded  away 
among  her  stray  papers  in  an  old  portfolio. 
This  was  the  price  she  had  paid  for  Sallie 
Owens's  championship.  The  result  had  not 

(215)' 


2l6  At  ETA    WALLACE,  OR 

come  about  suddenly  ;  indeed,  she  was  scarcely 
aware  of  the  gradual  change  in  her  feelings. 
The  listlessness  with  which  her  Bible  was  now 
read  was  ascribed  to  the  fatigues  of  study ;  and 
when  she  found  it  hard  not  to  be  sleepy  over  her 
prayers,  it  never  occurred  to  her  that  the  vanity 
of  lip  service  had  grown  into  a  habit.  She  had 
forgotten  the  exhortation,  "  Be  watchful,"  and  in 
an  unwary  hour  her  heart  was  besieged  by  the 
world.  But,  after  the  departure  of  her  family, 
she  suddenly  awoke  to  all  this.  The  earnest 
talks  with  Winny  Clifton,  who  had  been  long 
neglected  for  her  companions,  opened  her  eyes 
to  the  folly  of  following  in  such  guidance  as 
Sallie's ;  but  she  had  not  the  courage  to  break 
off.  The  girls,  who  had  found  her  so  ready  to 
enter  into  their  various  frolics,  felt  the  change, 
but  it  was  not  tangible  enough  for  complaint, 
and  none  was  made.  Yet,  whenever  she  wavered 
and  hesitated,  there  was  always  some  timely  and 
plausible  way  devised  of  keeping  her  from  with 
drawing,  and  her  good  resolutions  bore  no  fruit. 

In  this  way  it  happened  that  Meta  became 
involved  in  a  frolic  which  led  to  disastrous  re 
sults,  simply  because  she  had  lost  the  capacity 
of  saying  "no;"  a  very  short  word,  but  often 
very  difficult  to  say  —  as  Meta  found  it. 

The  expedition  was  a  wildly  conceived  piece 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  21 J 

of  mischief,  and  promised  very  little  enjoyment ; 
but  Sallie,  who  headed  the  set,  administered  her 
dexterous  flattery,  and  persuaded  Meta  into  the 
spirit  of  the  frolic,  frequently  alluding  to  the 
"  fun  "  of  getting  out  of  school-bounds,  and  eat 
ing  as  many  strawberries  as  pleased  them,  with 
out  anybody  being  the  wiser.  Had  the  girls 
been  a  little  older,  it  would  have  seemed  very 
dismal  "fun"  to  take  a  walk  of  a  mile  over 
muddy  roads,  during  a  spell  of  rainy  weather; 
but  girls  seldom  pause  to  reflect  when  mischief 
is  ahead,  and  these  were  not  wiser  than  their 
generation. 

Mr.  Leslie's  school  was  at  the  southern  ex 
tremity  of  a  little  village,  and  the  farm,  at  which 
Sallie  proposed  getting  her  strawberries,  exactly 
at  the  other  end  of  the  long  street.  It  would 
have  been  very  easy  to  walk  boldly  down  the 
plank  walk  of  the  said  street,  in  full  view  of 
villagers  and  school  windows,  with  little  risk  to 
the  feet  of  the  party,  had  they  so  dared ;  but 
even  the  bold  Sallie  proposed  no  such  proceed 
ing.  They  were  to  climb  a  low  fence  in  the 
rear  of  the  garden,  and  take  a  circuitous  walk  of 
two  miles,  through  a  thick  wood,  in  mud  and 
mire,  under  dripping  trees,  and  at  risk  of  health 
—  to  say  nothing  of  Mr.  Leslie's  anger  —  and 
all  because  her  ready  brain  had  discovered 
"  fun  "  in  the  expedition. 


2l8  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

After  Meta  had  agreed  to  be  of  the  party, 
she  would  very  willingly  have  withdrawn ;  for  it 
was  a  dark,  rainy  day,  and  promised  but  little 
pleasure.  Sallie  Owens  was  in  despair.  One 
or  two  of  the  girls,  who  had  bad  colds,  declined 
to  go  at  all ;  but  rain  only  increased  the  ardor 
of  some  of  the  most  reckless,  and  Sallie  mus 
tered  a  considerable  party,  notwithstanding  the 
leaden  clouds  and  northeasterly  wind  and  rain. 
The  time  chosen  for  this  unlucky  frolic  was  the 
afternoon  study  hour,  when  the  girls  were  only 
occasionally  visited  in  their  several  rooms  by 
one  of  the  teachers,  and  might  hope  to  get  off 
without  being  detected  in  the  start. 

After  dinner,  when  Meta  was  hurrying  along 
one  of  the  passages  to  join  the  party,  who  had 
agreed  to  meet  in  the  bowling  alley,  fearing  that 
she  was  too  late,  she  suddenly  encountered  Mon 
sieur  Jean.  The  tassel  on  his  black  cap  nodded 
in  time  to  his  cheerful  greeting  as  he  paused 
and  looked  down  in  her  face. 

"  So !"  he  said,  smiling.  "  You  will  come  with 
me,  petite,  and  try  what  we  can  do  with  that 
new  song  ? " 

"  It  is  study  hour,"  she  sakl,  blushing  at  the 
equivocation. 

"  Ah,  but  so  is  my  music  lessson  a  study ! 
Come  !  You  need  not  fear  madame's  anger  I 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  2 1C) 

make  it  all  straight,  I  promise  you  !  No  ?  What 
for  you  so  careful  with  study  hour  to-day  ?  Don't 
you  know  how  many  tjmcs  we  spend  it  to 
gether  ? " 

"  Yes,"  said  Meta,  still  blushing,  and  shrink 
ing  back  from  his  outstretched  hand ;  "  yes,  I 
know  that,  but  I  cannot  go  with  you  now." 

"  What  for  not  ?  "  persisted  Monsieur,  looking 
at  her  blushing  face  keenly.  "  Humph  !  Sup 
pose  I  say  you  must  go,  what  then  ?  " 

"  I  would  beg  you  to  let  me  off,"  she  replied, 
bravely  ;  "  I  have  promised  —  " 

"  To  study  —  eh  ? " 

"  No,  Monsieur,  to  go  off  somewhere  !  Don't 
ask  me  any  more,  please  !  " 

Monsieur  Jean  looked  into  her  face  a  moment, 
and  made  up  his  mind.  "  She  is  in  some  trouble, 
poor  child!"  he  thought,  compassionately ;  "I 
will  take  her  away  till  she  forgets  it."  Aloud 
he  said : 

"Come, petite,  you  not  to  study,  to-day.  We 
will  go  to  the  music-room.  Don't  shake  your 
head  !  Come ! " 

Seizing  her  hand,  he  turned  her  around  in  the 
passage,  and,  laughing  at  her  discomfiture,  led 
her  straight  to  madame's  room. 

"  Here,  I  bring  you  one  industrious  child,"  he 
cried,  as  madame  opened  the  door,  "who  will 


22O  META    WALLACE,  OR 

not  give  up  her  study,  though  I  command  her 
to  practice.  What  you  think  of  such  a  scholar  ? " 

Madame  looked  at  the  pair  searchingly,  and 
then  laughed  too.  Meta  said  not  a  word,  though 
she  felt  very  guilty,  until  madame  commended 
her  industry,  and  then  she  found  courage  to 
speak. 

"I  don't  deserve  it,"  she  said,  desperately. 
"  Monsieur  is  altogether  mistaken.  I  had  prom 
ised  to  go  somewhere,  and  did  not  intend  to 
study  at  all." 

"  To  go  somewhere  ? "  repeated  madame,  in 
stantly  looking  grave ;  "  where,  and  with  whom, 
my  dear  ? " 

Meta  shook  her  head  despondingly. 

"  I  know  you  will  be  very  angry,"  she  said, 
humbly ;  "  but,  indeed,  I  cannot  tell  you." 

Monsieur  Jean  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  Her  way  ! "  he  said,  with  a  gesture  of  com 
passion.  "  You  no  get  it  out  of  her,  madame. 
She  keep  secret  better  than  any  one  I  know. 
Come !  Let  me  take  off  my  prisoner,  and  we 
go  sing  our  song." 

But  madame  would  not  consent  to  this.  Meta 
was  invited  into  the  bright,  pretty  room,  and 
all  Monsieur's  entreaties  refused.  The  disap 
pointed  Frenchman  gave  madame  a  piece  of 
advice  very  rapidly  in  his  own  language,  but 
she  only  smiled  and  shut  the  door. 


THE   SEEiJ  AND    UNSEEN.  221 

When  they  were  alone,  madame  exhausted 
her  eloquence  on  Meta  in  vain.  She  would  not 
tell  where  she  had  intended  to  spend  her  after 
noon,  and  the  teacher,  after  a  moment's  reflec 
tion,  concluded  to  keep  her  in  durance  vile  until 
she  did  confess. 

Meta  stood  at  the  window,  looking  out  at  the 
rain,  almost  glad  to  have  escaped  her  walk,  and 
wondering  what  the  girls  would  think  of  her  for 
deserting  them.  To  be  sure,  she  had  not  in 
tended  to  do  so,  but  would  Sallie  believe  this  ? 
Her  mind  was  very  much  divided  between  relief 
at  missing  the  dangerous  expedition  and  fear  of 
losing  ground  with  the  girls ;  though  she  had 
quite  decided  that  it  would  be  very  mean  if  she 
betrayed  them,  and  resolved  not  to  save  herself 
from  a  scolding  at  their  expense.  The  time 
came  when  she  would  have  given  much  had  she 
only  made  a  timely  confession  ;  but,  not  having 
the  gift  of  foresight,  she  judged  the  case  by  her 
code  of  honor,  and  refused  to  betray  the  expe 
dition. 

Meanwhile,  after  exhausting  their  patience 
and  abusing  Meta's  delay,  the  girls  went  off  with 
out  her,  climbing  over  the  fence  without  acci 
dent,  and  running  and  walking  through  the  wet 
woods.  By  the  time  Mr.  Smith's  farm  was 
reached,  a  great  many  wished  themselves  back 


222  META    WALLACE,  OR 

at  school ;  for  there  was  very  little  amusement 
in  being  wet  and  chilled  through.  The  servant 
who  answered  the  bell  stared  wonderingly  at  the 
group  of  dripping  figures. 

"  Be's  you  the  girls  from  Leslie's  ? "  she  cried. 

"  Yes,"  returned  Sallie,  who  was  spokesman. 
"  We  have  come  to  eat  strawberries ;  go  and 
tell  Mr.  Smith  at  once." 

"Well,  I  never!"  muttered  the  girl,  as  she 
went  away  and  knocked  at  a  door  in  the  rear 
of  the  house. 

After  some  delay,  a  young  man  came  to  the 
door. 

"Father's  out,"  he  said,  his  eyes  twinkling; 
"  but  I  guess  you  can  have  the  strawberries. 
Come  along ! " 

"  Oh,  thank  you  !  "  cried  several  voices  ;  and 
the  troop  of  girls  followed  him  through  the 
house,  leaving  foot-prints  on  the  shining  floor, 
out  to  the  terraced  garden,  where  Mr.  Smith's 
luscious  fruit  grew  in  great  quantities.  The 
rain  poured  steadily  down,  the  berries  were 
sandy,  and  the  ground  too  wet  for  comfort; 
altogether  the  "  fun  "  was  dismal.  Mr.  Smith's 
son,  enjoying  this  unexpected  visit,  and  being  a 
lover  of  fun,  dexterously  managed  to  prolong  the 
amusement;  for  whenever  a  tired  girl  attempted 
to  start  the  party,  he  would  propose  to  show 


THE  SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  22$ 

larger  and  sweeter  fruit  in  another  part  of  the 
garden,  so  a  considerable  time  was  consumed. 
At  last  a  start  was  made,  and  Sallie  offered  to 
pay  for  what  they  had  eaten ;  but  this  the  boy 
refused,  assuring  them  that  he  was  fully  compen 
sated  by  the  afternoon's  enjoyment ;  and,  hav 
ing  no  time  to  waste  words,  they  were  obliged  to 
accept  as  a  gift  what  they  had  expected  to  buy. 

The  walk  homeward  was  tiresome  and  cold. 
Sallie,  declaring  she  felt  half-sick,  was  very  cross 
and  fault-finding.  Every  one  agreed  mentally 
that  the  whole  thing  was  a  miserable  failure, 
though  in  Sallie's  present  mood  it  was  scarcely 
advisable  to  say  so.  It  .was  a  relief  to  the  whole 
party  when  the  trees  of  Glencove  School  were 
visible  through  the  rain.  Over  the  fence  they 
scrambled,  one  after  another ;  and  as  each  be 
draggled  figure  reached  the  other  side,  an  excla 
mation  of  surprise  and  dismay  was  wafted  back 
to  the  others.  There,  a  few  paces  from  the 
fence,  stood  Mr.  Leslie,  under  a  big  umbrella, 
looking  very  stern  and  uncompromising. 

"  Well,  young  lady  !  "  he  cried,  addressing  a 
girl  who  could  get  no  further  than  the  top  of 
the  fence,  through  sheer  fright ;  "  make  a  little 
exertion,  do ;  for  I  am  quite  chilled  by  this  rain, 
whatever  you  may  be." 

"  O  papa ! "  groaned  Julia,  whom  it  proved  to 


224  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

be,  as  she  caught  her  foot  in  the  fence,  and  rolled 
over  at  his  feet.* 

Mr.  Leslie  gravely  raised  her,  without  making 
any  comment,  and  drew  her  under  the  umbrella. 
The  girls  were  escorted  in  perfect  silence  to  the 
house,  one  on  each  side  of  Mr.  Leslie,  w.ho  said 
nothing  during  the  wet  tramp  through  the  gar 
den.  As  each  mortified  girl  hung  her  head  be 
fore  his  rebuking  glance,  one  thought  alone  was 
predominant.  Had  they  been  severally  ques 
tioned,  the  result  would  have  been  surely  to  this 
effect :  "  That  hateful  Meta  Wallace  !  It's  all  her 
work,  I'll  be  bound ! " 

As  they  were  wet  to  the  skin,  and  shivering, 
the  case  was  too  serious  for  immediate  disci 
pline,  and  they  were  left  to  their  own  reflections, 
forbidden  to  leave  their  respective  apartments. 

At  a  subsequent  meeting  of  those  in  author 
ity,  there  was  much  discussion  of  the  most  fea 
sible  punishment;  but  the  side  of  justice,  tem 
pered  with  mercy,  conquered.  Banishment  for 
a  month  from  all  the  privileges  and  society  of 
their  companions  was  the  sentence. 

When  Madame  Seville  entered  her  room,  after 
the  meeting  of  teachers,  she  went  up  to  Meta, 
and  forced  her  to  look  in  her  face.  Then,  after 
recounting  the  discovery  of  her  friends'  frolic, 
and  the  punishment  devised,  she  said,  severely: 


THE  SEEN  AND    UNSEEN. 


225 


"  This  is  what  you  were  about  to  do,  Meta ! 
Don't  deny  it." 

"I  do  not  intend  to  deny  it,"  she  cried, 
proudly.  «  Yes,  this  is  what  I  was  going  to  do  !  " 
"Then  you  shall  share  the  sentence,"  said 
madame,  frowning.  « It  was  not  through  any 
sense  of  duty  that  you  were  not  with  the  rest, 
and  it  is  only  just." 

"I  don't  complain,"  interrupted  Meta,  petu 
lantly.  "  Yes,  it  is  just.  I  don't  want  to  escape 
punishment." 

"Don't  be  so  indifferent  and  rude,  Meta," 
cried  madame,  impatiently.  "You  ought  to 
have  known  better  than  to  be  drawn  into  such 
a  thing.  Why  didn't  you  confess  hours  ago  ?  " 
"  Because  I  don't  care  to  be  a  traitor,  mad 
ame." 

"A  traitor!"  repeated  the  lady,  scornfully. 
"I  have  no  doubt  you  think  it  was  very  honora 
ble  and  brave  to  let  these  misguided  girls  risk 
health  and  the  confidence  of  their  teachers,  when 
one  word  from  you  would  have  put  a  stop  to  it 
all.  Yoji  would  have  shown  better  sense  and 
more  courage  to  have  braved  their  anger,  for 
the  sake  of  saving  them  from  worse  than  scold 
ing." 

^  Meta  turned  away  her  face  to  hide  the  tears. 
She   had  not  intended  to  do  anything  wrong, 
'5 


226  META    WALLACE. 

and  she  could  not  make  up  her  mind  to  betray 
the  girls'  expeSition  ;  but,  though  she  resented 
madame's  speech,  and  thought  hard  that  the  re 
sponsibility  should  be  laid  upon  her,  she  never 
theless  regretted  that  she  had  not  told,  in  viola- 
lation  of  her  ideas  of  honor,  as  the  possible 
consequences  of  the  frolic  loomed  up  before 
her. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

NLY  a  few  days  of  the  allotted  punish 
ment  had  passed,  when  the  school  was 
suddenly  overshadowed  by  a  grievous 
calamity :  the  presence  of  sickness  and  proba 
bility  of  death.  The  news,  following  so  soon 
after  the  excitement  of  the  frolic,  that  one  of 
the  heads  of  the  reckless  party  was  stricken 
with  sudden  illness,  created  a  panic  among  the 
girls.  Sallie  Owens,  who  had  been  feverish 
and  ailing  for  some  days  before  her  tramp  in 
the  rain,  was  suffering  from  the  exposure  in 
an  acute  attack  of  pneumonia.  The  physician 
shook  his  head  gravely,  as  soon  as  he  took  a 
survey  of  the  case,  and  promised  the  anxious 
Mrs.  Leslie  a  very  sick  patient. 

"  It   is  a   very  serious   affair,"    he    said,  ear- 

(227) 


228  META    WALLACE,  OR 

nestly ;  "  there  is  so  much  inflammation  that  I 
foresee  tough  times  —  possibly  great  danger." 

When  the  news  spread  through  the  house, 
after  a  few  days  of  her  illness,  that  the  antici 
pated  danger  had  really  come,  and  Sallie  was 
likely  to  die,  all  discipline- was  at  an  end.  Girls 
went  about  the  passages  whispering,  with  fright 
ened  faces,  teachers  were  alarmed,  and  the 
sharers  of  Sallie's  favor  grievously  sad.  Meta's 
distress  knew  no  bounds.  Madame's  words  re 
curred  to  her  again  and  again,  and  she  tortured 
herself  with  a  thousand  longings  that  she  had 
prevented  the  expedition,  even  in  the  way  she 
so  much  despised.  Full  of  her  nervous  self-re- 
bukings,  she  found  no  comfort  in  the  fact  that 
this  was  not  her  own  doing ;  that,  as  the  doctor 
declared,  the  exposure  had  only  developed  the 
unfavorable  symptoms,  and  not  originated  the 
disease ;  that  in  all  probability  the  attack  would 
have  been  just  as  serious,  since  congestion  could 
but  ensue  from  the  condition  of  the  lungs.  Full 
of  self-reproach,  she  had  sought  Miss  Clifton  and 
poured  out  her  grief  and  distress. 

"  O  Miss  Winny  ! "  she  cried,  sorrowfully ;  "  I 
cannot  help  feeling  that  I  might  have  saved 
her  —  " 

"  But  that  would  have  been  quite  impossible," 
interrupted  her  friend.  "  Remember,  Sallie's  life 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  22 9 

is  in  other  hands ;  and  though  you  may  be  sin 
cerely  grieved  to  have  encouraged  her  reckless 
ness,  don't  allow  yourself  to  believe  that  any  act 
of  yours  could  have  stayed  God's  design.  We 
should  only  take  the  lesson  to  heart,  poor  child ! 
and  remember  to  keep  our  lamps  trimmed  ;  for 
'  in  such  an  hour  as  ye  think  not,  the  Son  of 
Man  cometh/  " 

Miss  Clifton  took  her  station  at  Sallie's  side 
as  soon  as  the  worst  was  known,  and,  though  she 
could  not  render  her  much  bodily  service,  the 
sick  girl  clung,  in  her  sore  need,  to  the  very  one 
whose  beautiful  life  had  provoked  so  many  un 
kind  speeches  in  her  days  of  gayety  and  mirth ; 
and  it  was  to  Winny  that  the  task  of  prepar 
ing  the  young  soul  for  its  journey  was  confided. 
Few  had  greater  tenderness  of  heart,  none  more 
perfect  faith  and  trust  in  the  promises  that 
would  lighten  the  shadows  of  death ;  and  Win- 
ny's  whole  soul  was  engaged  in  the  sad  office  of 
ministering  comfort  to  the  fearful,  doubting  girl, 
who  was  appalled  at  the  suddenness  of  her  sum 
mons.  At  first  her  grief  and  fear  were  over 
whelming  ;  but  by  degrees  the  distressing  dread 
subsided,  and  her  eyes  were  opened  to  the  peace 
offered,  as  well  as  to  the  recklessness  and  useless- 
ness  of  her  life.  She  could  not  have  fallen  into 
better  hands  than  Winny  Clifton's,  who  had, 


23O  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

herself,  battled  with  doubts  and  fears,  and  knew 
so  well  how  to  meet  the  sorrowful  questions  that 
came  up  after  the  first  surprise  and  dread  were 
over ;  and  after  many  hours  of  earnest,  prayer 
ful  effort,  she  enjoyed  the  supreme  happiness  of 
comforting  the  parting  soul  with  some  of  her 
own  faith,  lessening  Sallie's  fears,  and  imparting 
trust  in  the  promises  that  never  yet  have  failed 
the  contrite  heart. 

After  Sallie  had  been  told  of  her  condition, 
and  Winny's  soothing  words  had  brought  that 
calm  of  spirit  that  was  so  great  a  contrast  to  the 
first  outburst  of  dread,  Meta's  first  visit  was  al 
lowed.  Bending  over  her  friend,  with  the  rising 
sobs  choking  the  words  she  longed  to  say,  she 
could  not  look  in  that  pale  face,  so  changed 
since  she  last  saw  it,  without  a  pang  of  self- 
reproach  for  the  little  she  had  ever  done  to  help 
her  wavering,  undisciplined  heart.  Sallie  was 
greatly  moved,  but  she  did  not  say  much ;  only, 
when  Meta's  sobs  became  so  loud  and  distress 
ing,  she  whispered : 

"Never  mind  me,  Meta;  don't  cry!  Miss 
Winny  says  I  need  not  be  afraid  !  Only,  dear 
friend,  never  forget  my  fate  !  Please  forgive 
me  —  " 

"O  Sallie!  Don't  talk  about  my  forgiving 
you,"  sobbed  Meta,  overcome ;  "  /  have  nothing 
to  forgive ! " 


THE   SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  2^1 

9 

The  tears  stole  down  Sallie's  cheek  at  these 
words,  and  she  turned  her  face  to  the  wall  for  a 
few  moments;  then,  raising  Meta's  hand,  she 

said,   slowly : 

"What  were  those  lines  you  read  me 
about  'Death  and  the  dark  vale?'     Can't  you 
say  them  for  me?      I  remember  I  liked  them 

then."  „ 

«  How  can  I  say  them,  dear  Salhe,  when  1 
"Never  mind,"  said  Sallie,  soothingly;  "you 

needn't  do  it,  if  you  would  rather  not." 
But  Meta  saw  the  disappointed  expression  i 

her  face,  and,  mastering  her  emotion,  repeated  in 

a  trembling  voice  the  beautiful  lines  : 

When  Death  is  coming  near, 
When  thy  heart  shrinks  with  fear, 

And  thy  limbs  fail, 
Then  raise  thy  hands,  and  pray 
To  Him  who  lights  the  way 
Through  the  dark  vale. 
See'st  thou  the  eastern  dawn  i 
Hear'st  thou  in  the  red  morn 

The  angels'  song  ? 
Oh,  lift  thy  drooping  head, 
Thou  who  in  gloom  and  dread 

Hast  lain  so  long. 
Death  comes  to  set  thee  free  I 
Oh,  meet  him  cheerily 

As  thy  true  friend ; 
And  all  thy  fears  shall  cease, 
And  in  eternal  peace 
Thy  penance  end. 


232 


MET  A    WALLACE. 


" '  Eternal  peace,'  "  repeated  Sallie,  feebly ; 
"  oh,  if  I  could  only  be  sure! " 

Meta,  without  daring  to  trust  her  voice,  hur 
riedly  left  the  room,  and,  running  to  Miss  Win- 
ny's  chamber,  threw  herself  in  an  agony  of  tears 
on  the  bed. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

N  the  eighth  day  after  Sallies  seizure, 
the  girls  who  had  known  her  best  were 
summoned  for  a  last  farewell.  The 
dying  girl  was  greatly  moved,  and  even  in  her 
excessive  weakness  strove  to  say  something 
comforting  to  each,  as  the  tearful  faces  bent 

over  her. 

"It's  only  a  little  while,  old  friends,"  she  said, 
slowly  and  with  effort,  "  and  then  we  will  meet 
again.  I  have  been  very  rebellious,  but  God  is 
merciful  to  forgive  me,  and  I  trust  in  him.  He 
has  given  me  time,  and  opened  my  eyes  to  all 
my  willful  sin.  You  know  he  came  to  save  sin 
ners,  girls?  Miss  Winny  says  so  — God  bless 

her!" 

Even  this  exertion  exhausted  Sallie's  strength, 
and  when  Winny  bent  over  to  administer  stimu- 

(233) 


234  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

lant,  she  saw  a  pained,  weary  look  in  her  eyes. 
Motioning  the  girls  to  withdraw,  she  took  the 
restless  hands  in  hers,  and  whispered  words  of 
faith  and  comfort,  till  the  short,  hard  breathing 
had  ceased  in  a  quiet  sleep.  Sitting  there  in 
the  still  chamber,  almost  in  the  immediate  pres 
ence  of  Death,  she  could  but  think  of  the  mercy 
that  had  been  shown  the  trembling  soul.  What 
if  she  had  been  cut  off  with  no  time  to  name  the 
name  of  Jesus,  or  if  her  mind  had  been  too 
clouded  with  mists  to  grasp  the  peace  and  sal 
vation  offered  her  ?  Instead  of  this,  the  Lord, 
mighty  to  save,  had  stretched  forth  his  hand, 
and  gathered  the  stray  sheep  into  the  fold. 

Sallie  died  very  peacefully  during  that  night, 
with  her  hand  clasped  in  Miss  Clifton's.  The 
new-found  peace  did  not  desert  her  at  the  last, 
and  she  passed  away  with  hope  and  faith  in  the 
Lord  Jesus. 

When  the  tearful,  awe-struck  companions, 
who  had  so  long  followed  their  clever  leader, 
entered  the  silent  chamber  where  Sallie  lay 
shrouded  in  the  midst  of  pure  white  flowers, 
there  was  not  a  heart  but  felt  sorrowful  and 
reproached.  Few  there  were  whose  conscience 
did  not  recall  hasty  words,  and  unkind  actions, 
and  bitter  feelings  cherished  against  one  who 
could  never  resent  or  pardon  more.  A  strange 
worker  is  Death : 


THE    SEEN  AND   UNSEEN. 

He  shows  our  faults  as  fires  at  night ; 
He  sweeps  their  failings  out  of  sight; 
He  clothes  their  good  in  heavenly  light. 
O  Christ,  our  Life  I  predate  the  work  of  Death, 

And  do  this  now  ! 

Thou  who  art  Love  1  thus  hallow  our  beloved  1 
Not  Death,  but  thou  ! 

Sitting  beside  Miss  Clifton  at  Sallie's  coffin, 
Meta's  greatest  life-lesson  was  learned.  The 
reckless,  indifferent  state  in  which  she  had  been 
gradually  losing  her  earnest  desires  after  holi 
ness  was  swept  away  in  an  instant  as  the  past 
came  up  in  review  before  her  sorrowful  heart, 
and  she  saw  how  ignobly  she  had  fallen  in  her 
first  battle  with  temptation.  She  had  been 
healed  through  another's  stripes,  but  yet  she 
was  healed,  and  this  season  of  self-abasement 
and  condemnation  did  the  work  of  years.  It 
seemed  impossible  to  realize  that  this  pale,  cold 
figure  was  all  that  was  left  of  the  eager,  bright, 
untiring  spirit  that  had  held  such  sway  in  the 
minds  of  her  companions.  The  busy  hands 
were  folded  over  the  quiet  heart  in  eternal 
calm  ;  the  bright  eyes  were  closed,  and  the  long, 
dark  lashes  lay  peacefully  on  her  pale  cheek. 
A  slight  breeze  stirring  the  shining  waves  of 
hair  gave  such  a  mockery  of  life  that  Meta 
leaned  her  head  on  the  coffin,  and  cried  bitterly. 

"  Oh,  if  I  could  only   hear   her  speak   once 


236  META    WALLACE,  OR 

more!"  she  sighed.     "It  is  all  so  strange  —  so 
hard  to  bear ! " 

"  Shall  I  tell  you  my  thoughts,  Meta  ? "  asked 
Miss  Clifton. 

O  change !  — O  wondrous  change  I 

Burst  are  the  prison  bars ; 
This  moment  there,  so  low, 
So  agonized,-  and  now 

Beyond  the  stars ! 

O  change  !  —  stupendous  change  1 

There  lies  the  soulless  clod; 
The  sun  eternal  breaks  — 
The  new  immortal  wakes  — 

Wakes  with  his  God  1 

When  the  solemn  funeral  service  was  read, 
and  Sallie's  body  consigned  to  the  dust,  a  dull 
quiet  settled  on  all  hearts.  It  had  been  so  sud 
den  and  overwhelming  that  it  was  more  like  a 
troubled  dream  than  reality.  Sallie  having  only 
distant  relatives,  and  they  living  far  off  in  the 
West,  she  was  buried  in  the  pretty  church-yard 
of  the  village,  almost  in  sight  of  the  girls  she 
had  so  long  ruled.  Yet  the  school  relapsed  in 
to  the  old  routine,  so  sadly  interrupted,  and  life's 
busy  whirl  went  on  the  same.  It  is  a  strange, 
sad  fact  that  death's  solemn  warning  wears  off 
so  fast ;  that  life's  active  round  so  soon  begins. 
Those  in  whom  our  hearts  are  centered  pass 


THE  SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  237 

away  forever,  and  yet  we  learn  to  bear  what 
seems  unbearable,  and  live  to  find  in  other  ties 
the  needs  we  crave.  Like  a  pebble  thrown  into 
a  stream,  the  ruffling  of  the  waters  is  but  tran 
sient,  and  it  is  only  in  secret  and  in  silence  that 
we  hold  the  anniversaries  of  the  heart's  dead. 


CHAPTER 'XXVI. 

T  was  a  brilliant  day  in  early  summer, 
and  the  woods  around  Glencove  were 
redolent  with  a  thousand  sweets.  The 
girls  had  collected  under  the  leafy  branches, 
near  a  pretty  sparkling  stream,  for  an  impromptu 
picnic,  their  merry  voices  making  the  echoes 
ring  with  mirth,  and  happy  faces  completing  a 
very  pretty  picture  in  the  old  woods. 

Somewhat  apart  from  the  rest,  Winny  Clif 
ton's  chair  was  wheeled  under  a  large  oak, 
where  she  could  witness  the  happy  sports  of 
her  gay  companions  without  throwing  restraint 
over  'their  girlish  freedom  of  speech  and  the 
hilarity  of  their  various  plays.  She  was  always 
a  welcome  member  of  every  pleasure  party,  and 
it  had  come  to  be  a  part  of  her  duties  in  the 
school  to  accompany  the  out-door  ramblers ;  her 
(238) 


THE   SEEN  AND   UNSEEN. 


239 


influence  being  such  a  happy  one  that  she  was 
easily  induced  to  forego  her  more  quiet  enjoy 
ments  at  home  for  the  sake  of  giving  the  girls 
an  occasional  holiday. 

But  though  the  sunshine  on  this  sweet  sum 
mer  day  made  a  glory  of  the  scene,  and  the  light 
laughter  of  the  merry  creatures  told  of  no  shadow, 
there  was  one  amongst  them  whose  heart  was 
sad,  and  her-  face  clouded  over,  though  she 
forced  herself  to  join  in  the  general  gayety. 
Meta  Wallace,  grown  into  a  tall,  graceful  girl, 
with  a  face  of  rare  sweetness,  and  most  attract 
ive,  winning  ways,  was  taking  her  farewell  ram 
ble  in  Glencove  woods ;  and  she  sat  silently  by 
Winny's  side,  very  sad  and  sorrowful  that  her 
school-days  were  over,  and  the  morrow  would 
find  her  on  the  way  to  the  great  world  and  her 
old  home. 

To  most  young  girls  an  entree  into  brilliant 
society  and  the  cessation  of  school  duties 
brings  unmixed  delight;  but  Meta  was  no 
ordinary,  thoughtless  school-girl,  who  looked  no 
further  than  the  present  for  her  happiness. 
She  had  found  such  peaceful  enjoyment  in  the 
quiet  pursuit  of  duty,  and  her  life  had  grown  so 
much  more  one  of  purpose,  with  the  experience 
gained  in  her  miniature  world,  that  she  had  no 
desire  to  increase  the  difficulties  of  the  Chris- 


24O  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

tian's  path  by  mixing  in  the  countless  tempta 
tions  that  would  await  her  in  her  new  sphere. 
The  earnestness  and  seriousness  of  her  child 
hood  had  only  developed  with  years,  and  her 
greatest  desire  and  longing  was  to  live  above 
the  trivialities  and  follies  to  which  she  had 
yielded  in  the  first  unguarded  days  of  her  school- 
life.  The  death  of  her  old  ideal  of  girlishness, 
Sallie  Owens,  had  made  a  lasting  impression 
upon  her  thoughtful  nature ;  and,  the  lesson  of 
life's  vanity  once  learned,  she  never  forgot  the 
agony  with  which  such  knowledge  was  gained. 
A  favorite  alike  with  teachers  and  pupils  for 
unwavering  rectitude  and  engaging  manners, 
she  had  grown  to  be  such  a  natural  part  of  the 
school  that  her  recall  to  New  York  on  the  re 
turn  of  her  family  to  America  caused  the 
greatest  sorrow  among  them  all.  To  Meta  it 
was  not  like  going  home;  she  felt  almost  a 
stranger  .among  her  own  kindred.  They  had 
never  done  anything  to  make  home  pleasant  to 
her,  and  here  she  had  found  such  stanch  friends 
that,  though  she  desired  greatly  to  look  again  in 
her  parents'  faces,  she  sighed  that  it  was  to  be  a 
lasting  leave  of  the  newer  but  precious  friends 
who  had  taken  her,  in  her  great  loneliness,  to 
their  hearts,  and,  developing  all  that  was  pure 
and  noble  in  her  character,  had  helped  her  to 
subdue  and  overcome  her  faults. 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  2^1 

And  so  it  was  that  she  sat  at  Winny's  feet, 
apart  from  the  others,  with  her  head  resting  on 
her  friend's  knee,  and  a  far-away,  wistful  look  in 
her  great  dark  eyes,  as  if  she  would  fain  read 
what  the  future  had  in  store  for  her. 

"  I  scarcely  know  whether  to  be  glad  or 
sorry,"  said  Miss  Clifton,  playing  with  the  bright 
curls  in  her  lap. 

"  O  Winny !  "  said  Meta,  reproachfully  ;  "  how 
can  you  find  anything  pleasant  in  my  going 
away  ? " 

"  Not  pleasant,  little  friend,  but  yet  not  so 
very  serious  as  you  think.  It  is  very  easy  to  sit 
apart  from  the  battle-field  and  plan  a  victory, 
but  surely  it  is  more  noble  and  glorious  not  to 
shun  the  fray,  but  to  engage  in  the  strife  and 
the  bloodshed "  before  seeking  to  wear  the 
laurels." 

"  Ah !  but  if  I  am  defeated  and  trodden  under 
foot?" 

"  Will  that  lessen  the  victory,  think  you,  dear 
Meta?  I  am  afraid  you  count  too  much  upon 
your  own  strength,  and  expect  to  gain  your  con 
quests  unaided." 

"  Nay,  Winny,  it  is  far  otherwise  with  me  !    It 
is  just  because  I  fear  my  own  weakness,  and 
know  so  well  how  easily  I  am  overcome,  that  I 
would  rather  live  away  from  temptation." 
16 


242  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

"  A  profound  Christian  sentiment,"  said  Miss 
Clifton,  playfully,  "  but  one  I  did  not  expect  to 
hear  from  you" 

"  Then  you  think  it  is  wiser  to  expose  your 
self  to  dangers  which  you  know  will  prove  too 
much  for  your  strength  ?  " 

"  Nothing  of  the  kind.  I  mean,  simply,  that 
God  has  given  us  our  appointed  spheres  of  duty, 
and  it  is  cowardly  to  shun  them.  I  do  not  doubt 
that  you  will  find  it  harder  to  be  religious  in  the 
midst  of  fashionable  life,  surrounded  with  every 
luxury  that  wealth  can  buy ;  but  it  is  your  path, 
and  you  must  tread  it.  I  question  very  much 
whether  your  old  pensioner,  Kitty  Laurence, 
would  not  prefer  to  change  places  with  you.  I 
do  not  doubt  that  she  fancies  her  querulousness 
and  ill-temper  would  be  improved,  and  her  path 
to  heaven  made  much  easier,  if  she  had  no 
thought  of  the  morrow,  and  its  bread  to  get, 
and  the  little  mouths  to  feed.  So  it  is  just  im 
possible  for  us  to  know  what  we  need,  Meta. 
One  thing  should  sustain  you :  that  '  He  who  has 
begun  in  you  a  good  work  is  able  to  finish  it," 
and  that  he  never  suffers  us  to  be  tempted  above 
what  we  are  able  to  bear.  '  As  thy  day,  so  shall 
thy  strength  bo.' " 

"  But,  Winny,  you  don't  know  how  hard  it  is 
to  be  good  when  every  man's  hand  seems  to  be 


THE  SEEN  AND    Uftt.FaN.  243 

against  you  and  your  best  intentions  are  misun 
derstood  !  Here  I  have  had  no  such  drawbacks, 
and  I  am  afraid  of  the  shoals  and  quicksands 
that  I  know  I  must  encounter." 

"  And  do  you  think  the  recluse  saints  of  old 
had  greater  merit  for  living  away  from  tempta 
tion  ?  "  asked  her  friend,  earnestly.  "  I  have  al 
ways  believed  it  one  of  the  greatest  mistakes  of 
early  Christianity,  that  one  of  its  precept.-,  en 
joined  separation  from  the  woild,  where  God 
designs  us  to  be  tested ;  and  tine  chief  merit  was 
to  shut  one's  self  away  from  humanity,  and  its 
countless  demands  upon  our  time  and  patience 
and  sympathy,  in  the  vain  idea  that  a  negative 
sort  of  goodness  whicn  encountered  no  obstacle 
to  progress  was  of  more  avail  than  the  daily, 
hourly  warfare  of  right  against  wrong.  So,  Meta 
dear,  don't  seek  your  models  in  those  far  ages. 
Come  to  the  present,  where  the  Christian  is 
taught  that  God's  will  is  as  surely  worked  out 
in  the  crowded  thoroughfare,  jostling  against 
the  worldly  and  covetous,  exposed  to  dazzling 
visions  of  the  pleasures  of  sin  and  the  pride  of 
life,  with  countless  voices  urging  to  the  broad 
path,  and  many  drawbacks  to  virtue,  as  though 
the  Christian  were  shut  away  by  high  convent 
walls  from  the  sounds  of  the  busy  world,  and 
had  no  greater  crime  in  prospect  than  yawning 
over  his  litanies  or  his  beads." 


244  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

"  Brava  !  "  cried  Monsieur  Jean,  nodding  his 
head,  and  smiling,  as  he  came  from  behind  Miss 
Clifton's  chair,  where  he  had  heard  the  whole 
of  her  eager  speech.  "So,  that  is  what  you 
tell  my  friend  Meta  ?  What  a  little  Protestant 
it  is!" 

"  Forgive  me,"  said  Winny,  earnestly,  "  if  I 
have  said  anything  to  offend  the  convictions  of 
our  good  Monsieur  Jean  !  I  had  no  idea  you 
were  within  hearing." 

"  Well  ?  Have  I  said  I  admire  not  your  ad 
vice  ?  Bah !  "  shrugging  his  shoulders  ;  "  I  like 
better  your  thoroughfare,  Miss  Clifton,  than  the 
convent  walls  !  But  we  .shall  not  talk  of  this, 
when  our  sunbeam  is  going  to-morrow !  You 
and  I  can  take  our  big  quarrels  another  time,  if 
you  will.  Ah,  ma  petite !  Who  sings  for  me 
now  the  dear  '  Di  provenza '  and  the  other 
songs  ?  I  will  have  to  run  down  to  your  great 
city  one  of  these  days  when  you  are  famous,  to 
have  my  old  ears  rejoiced  with  that  voice  I  have 
bring  up  and  pet  like  my  birds.  Eh,  petite  ?  " 

"  Oh,  no,  Monsieur !  /  shall  never  be  famous. 
But  when  Florry  marries,  and  mamma  is  full  of 
her  busy  cares,  I  will  run  away  from  the  world 
for  awhile,  and  sing  for  you  here.  They  would 
not  miss  me,  you  know." 

"  Heyday  !  You  run  off  from  father  and  mother 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  245 

like  that?  I  think  better  things  of  you, petite ! 
So!"  he  went  on  soothingly,  as  she  blushed  and 
attempted  to  speak.  "  So  !  Don't  say  a  word  ; 
I  know  what  you  think  of  in  that  little  head. 
Just  sing  me  the  '  Di provenza '  once  more,  and 
we  won't  quarrel  our  last  day  together." 

Meta,  with  some  effort,  complied  ;  and  the 
sweet,  clear  voice  warbled  out  the  touching, 
plaintive  song,  with  a  yearning  tenderness  for 
the  "  pleasant  days "  that  were  gone  forever. 
There  were  tears  in  Miss  Clifton's  eyes  when 
the  last  note  died  away,  and  Monsieur  had  re 
course  to  his  long-stemmed  pipe  as  a  solace. 
The  parting  was  not  mentioned  again,  though 
the  three  sat  together  until  the  picnic  party 
came  noisily  and  gleefully  forward  to  remind 
them  of  the  inviting  luncheon  set  out  under  the 
trees  in  the  grove. 

On  the  following  day,  Meta  left  Glencove  in 
the  old-fashioned,  lumbering  stage.  Very  bitter 
tears  were  shed  as  the  last  basket  and  parcel 
were  deposited  on  the  seat,  and  the  driver,  who 
had  very  little  sentiment,  and  had  stood  ner 
vously  watching  the  lengthy  adieux,  assured  Mr. 
Leslie  that  it  was  time  to  be  off. 

If  parting  is  "  sweet  sorrow,"  we  have  never 
found  it  so.  One  of  life's  sadnesses  is,  to  make 
pleasant  friends  who  grow  into  our  every-day 


246  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

interests  and  become  a  part  of  the  sunshine  of 
existence,  only,  when  the  "  pleasant '  days  "  have 
grown  very  necessary  to  our  happiness,  to  be 
separated  by  the  most  impossible  barriers  and 
scattered  widely  through  the  world,  never  again 
to  recover  just  the  same  nearness  and  oneness 
of  soul.  Which  of  us  has  not  experienced  the 
disappointment  that  follows  a  visit  to  old  famil 
iar  scenes  ?  The  one  desire  of  the  homesick 
heart,  cherished  as  a  greater  blessing  than  those 
we  have  in  possession,  has  been  to  go  back  from 
the  innumerable  cares  of  noontide  to  the  sweet 
freshness  of  the  careless  morning ;  to  touch  the 
hands  and  hear  the  voices  that  made  up  the  hap 
piness  of  youth  ;  to  rest  under  the  old  roof-tree, 
and  look  on  the  same  green  grass  and  waving 
branches,  and  even  to  sit  in  the  quaint  old 
chairs.  We  go  back,  and  the.  vision  is  dispelled. 
Our  cherished  dreams  cannot  stand  against  the 
searching  light  of  change  and  decay.  If  the 
voices  and  hands  are  left  us,  there  is  some  new 
tone  or  touch  that  makes  us  know  ourselves 
strangers  ;  for  other  ties  and  the  march  of  years 
have  imparted  a  querulousness  and  a  hardness 
to  both,  of  which  they  are  quite  as  unconscious 
as  we  are  of  the  change  in  ourselves. 

And  so  with  the  old  home.    It  may  have  stood 
the  winds  and  rains  of  time,  but  the  welcoming 


THE  SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  247 

faces  at  the  windows  are  gone.  The  old  door 
creaks  on  its  hinges,  and  the  steps  are  worn,  and 
everything  looks  like  decay  ;  while  strange  peo 
ple  come  out  to  gaze  at  you  for  your  sentiment, 
and  you  go  away  with  a  sigh  from  the  painful 
shadow  of  what  has  been  to  you  such  a  glorious 
reality  in  the  past.  You  have  no  desire,  now,  to 
go  over  the  threshold  and  sit  in  the  wainscoted 
room.  You  feel  quite  sure  that  there  are  no 
quaint  chairs,  and  fire-screens,  and  bright  brass 
fender,  which  was  once  your  fairy-land  for 
shapes.  You  have  a  mournful  recollection  that 
the  sweet  mother-face  no  longer  holds  its  place 
over  the  mantel,  but  has  gone  away,  long  ago, 
to  the  possession  of  your  elder  brother,  and  can 
never  be  again  the  guardian  spirit  of  the  old 
parlor. 

Perhaps  it  is  better  so ;  else  life  would  hold 
too  many  precious  things,  and  we  should  not 
yearn  for  that  house  not  made  with  hands,  eter 
nal  in  the  heavens.  If  these  frail  tenements 
endured  forever,  and  we  had  no  change  nor  de 
cay  to  mourn,  would  we  ever  think  of  our 
Father's  house  at  all  ?  The  heart  is  so  prone  to 
grasp  and  cherish  only  the  tangible,  that  the 
hard  lesson  is  wisely  ordained,  that  partings 
and  "  pieces  of  rings  "  and  "  snatches  of  songs  " 
so  often  remind  us  that  here  we  "  have  no  con 
tinuing  city." 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

RAY,  draw  the  curtain,  Meta ;  the  sun 
makes  my  head  ache.  There  !  You 
needn't  make  the  room  as  dark  as 
pitch !  I  said  the  curtain,  not  the  blinds  !  Who 
can  see  to  read  now,  I  wonder  ?  Felicie,  go  over 
there  and  see  what  you  can  do !  Of  course,  my 
lace  will  have  to  be  put  off,  if  Meta  will  be  so 
stupid ! " 

So  spoke  Florry  Wallace  impatiently,  from 
the  depths  of  her  soft  pillows  on  the  lounge, 
where  she  was  wasting  the  long  summer  after 
noon  over  a  new  novel.  Felicie  was  busily  sew 
ing  some  delicate  lace  in  the  neck  of  a  gossamer 
party  dress,  to  be  worn  that  evening  by  the 
beautiful  lounger ;  and  Meta  sat  at  the  window, 
writing  a  lengthy  epistle  to  Miss  Clifton,  scarcely 
conscious  of  the  hot  sunshine,  that  made  Florry's 
(248) 


THE    SEEN  AND   UNSEEN. 


head  ache,  in  the  pleasure  of  telling  her  friend 
the  secret  thoughts  of  her  busy  brain.  This 
was  one  of  Florry's  nervous  days,  and  nothing 
suited  her.  Felicie  had  exhausted  her  ingenuity 
in  the  mysteries  of  sewing  lace  in  a  dress,  and 
sighed  despairingly  at  the  peevish  orders,  so 
impossible  to  execute. 

"  There  !  I  declare  you've  done  it  wrong  for 
the  sixth  time,"  said  Florence,  tossing  over  the 
lace  robe  contemptuously  when  the  blinds  were 
arranged  to  her  satisfaction.  "  I  don't  believe 
you  gave  a  bit  of  attention  to  Sistine's  instruc 
tions  in  Paris,  though  I  paid  such  an  enormous 
sum  for  you.  Felicie,  you  French  people  have 
not  a  particle  of  gratitude  !  Don't  you  know 
it's  as  old  as  the  hills  to  gather  ruffles  ?  Give 
me  the  thimble  and  needle  this  minute  !  No  ! 
not  yours  !  Do  you  think  I  would  wear  your 
thimble,  really,  Felicie  ?  " 

The  French  maid  murmured  something  very 
low  in  her  own  language,  and  looked  very  hum 
ble  ;  but  the  little  black  eyes  flashed,  neverthe 
less.  While  Florry  was  interested  in  the  matter 
of  her  laces,  she  vouchsafed  to  give  Felicie  a  few 
hints,  and,  when  she  had  started  the  ruffle  in  the 
right  direction,  lay  back  again  on  her  pillows, 
and  took  up  the  book  she  had  thrown  down  on 
the  floor.  A  few  minutes'  silence  ensued,  the 


25O  AfETA    WALLACE,  OR 

scratching  of  Meta's  pen  being  the  only  sound  ; 
and  for  awhile  Florry's  brow  was  unruffled.  But 
presently  she  began  turning  and  sighing,  after 
the  manner  of  all  nervous  people,  and  finally 
threw  down  the  novel  again.  Meta  was  culprit 
now. 

"  Meta,  whom  on  earth  are  you  writing  to  ?  I 
declare,  it's  the  most  disagreeable  thing  in  the 
world  to  hear  a  pen  go  scratch,  scratch,  when 
your  head  aches.  What  sense  is  there  in  writ 
ing  such  volumes  to  that  lame  woman  ?  and  I 
don't  believe  you've  even  looked  at  the  dress 
you're  going  to  wear  to-night.  Pray,  stop  that 
everlasting  scratching !  I  won't  have  a  nerve 
left." 

Meta  had  stopped  at  the  first  word,  feeling 
very  impatient  at  being  interrupted  in  the  mid 
dle  of  a  sentence,  and  held  the  offending  pen 
over  the  inkstand.  As  Florry's  cross  tone  in 
creased,  she  was  conscious  of  a  determination  to 
go  on  writing,  in  spite  of  it ;  but  Miss  Clifton's 
last  letter,  with  its  striking  sentences,  lay  before 
her  eyes,  and  she  could  not  be  oblivious  to  some 
lines  staring  her  reproachfully  in  the  face : 

"  You  speak  of  the  trials  of  an  irritable  tem 
per.  My  dear  Meta,  pray  reflect  that  Florence 
may  have  many  temptations  to  crossness  that 
you  can  never  understand.  Have  you  not  said 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN. 


that  you  do  not  remember  being  ill  in  your  life  ? 
Then,  are  you  a  just  judge  of  Florence,  whose 
daily  life  is  one  of  weary,  nervous  depression  —  " 

Meta  read  no  further.  Had  she  really  been 
so  selfish  and  unkind  as  to  write  to  Winny  of 
Florry's  faults  ?  It  was  even  so,  yet  she  had 
not  been  struck  with  this  view  of  the  question 
when  the  hasty  letter,  to  which  this  was  an  an 
swer,  was  penned.  Now  she  abruptly  closed 
her  desk,  and  came  over  to  Florry's  couch,  lay 
ing  her  hand  with  sudden  tenderness  on  the 
blue-veined  forehead,  and  gazing  with  a  pang  of 
self-reproach  in  the  beautiful  face,  so  unearthly 
in  its  frail  loveliness.  There  was  a  crimson  spot 
on  each  of  the  fair  cheeks,  and  an  unnatural 
light  in  the  bright  eyes. 

"  Poor  Florry,  does  your  head  ache  very 
badly  ?  "  asked  Meta,  sympathizingly. 

"  Oh,  awfully,"  sighed  Florence,  wearily  ;  "  and 
I  declare,  between  Felicie's  stupidity  and  your 
old  scratching  pen,  I  am  nearly  distracted.  How 
will  I  ever  get  my  hair  dressed  in  time  to 
night  ?" 

"  Suppose  you  stay  up-stairs  ?  I  don't  like  it 
very  much,  but  I  will  receive  the  people,  if  you 
say  so." 

"  Who  ever  heard  of  such  foolishness  ?  "  ex 
claimed  Florry,  pettishly.  "  I  believe  you  were 


252  META    WALLACE,  OR 

cut  out  for  an  old  maid.  Do  you  think  mamma 
would  let  you  receive,  when  you  haven't  '  come 
out '  yet  ?  When  you  have  gone  through  a 
course  of  professors  and  private  lessons,  it  will 
be  quite  time  enough  to  make  your  dtbut.  Pray 
don't  talk  as  if  you  were  brought  up  in  the  back 
woods  ! " 

"  I  thought  mamma  wished  me  to  appear  in 
the  drawing-room  to-night  ?  Can  I  really  stay 
here,  if  I  wish  it  ? " 

"  What  a  goose  !  Do,  Meta,  act  as  if  you  had 
one  grain  of  sense !  Of  course,  you  can  go  down 
—  must  go  down  !  People  will  think  very 
strange  if  mamma  keeps  you  away  from  our 
own  parties,  but  you  can't  go  anywhere  else. 
There !  Don't  talk  any  more  about  it,  please. 
Hand  me  that  jewel-box  in  my  top  drawer,  like 
a  good  child.  I  believe  it  would  make  me  feel 
better  to  look  it  over,  and  see  if  that  Felicie  has 
put  the  powder  on  my  pearl  set.  Don't  tumble 
my  things,  though.  Here !  get  the  key  out  of 
my  work-box.  Cant  you  find  it  ?  Oh,  dear  !  I 
wish  people  had  eyes  that  knew  how  to  see. 
Why,  it's  right  before  your  face !  Well !  I'm 
thankful  you  managed  to  find  it ! " 

Meta  took  the  key,  which  was  not  in  the  box, 
but  under  a  pile  of  books  on  the  table,  and 
opened  the  sacred  "  top  drawer."  It  was  in  per- 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  2$$ 

feet  order,  and  the  richly  inlaid  jewel-box  —  a 
gem  of  itself  —  was  in  full  view.  Relieved  to 
find  it  so  easily,  she  relocked  the  drawer,  and 
went  over  to  the  lounge  with  the  rich  casket. 
Florry  took  the  tiniest  of  keys  off  her  watch- 
chain,  and  opened  the  treasure,  tossing  over 
the  elegant  and  fragile  contents  with  such  reck 
less  fingers  that  Meta  shuddered  for  their  fate. 
The  pearls  being  chalked  to  her  satisfaction, 
and  a  very  elegant  diamond  necklace  found  in 
its  proper  place,  Florry's  good  humor  returned, 
and  she  graciously  exhibited  the  treasures  she 
had  purchased  abroad  to  the  unsophisticated 
eyes  of  her  sister. 

"  Why  don't  you  wear  the  diamonds  to 
night  ? "  asked  Meta,  turning  the  beautiful  jew- 
.els  over  on  her  palm,  admiringly.  "They  are 
so  lovely,  Florry." 

"  Of  course,  they  are  lovely  !  Mamma  had 
them  reset  for  me  in  Paris  ;  but  do  you  think  I 
have  no  better  taste  than  to  wear  diamonds  at 
my  age,  in  full  dress  ?  Mamma  gave  these  to 
me.  They  were  her  mother's,  you  know ;  but,  of 
course,  she  wears  them  herself  always,  and  I 
only  look  at  them  now.  There  !  I  believe  you'd 
better  put  them  away,  while  I  try  to  take  a  nap. 
Don't  shake  the  powder  off  my  pearls,  whatever 
you  do !  Will  you  ring  for  Felicie  to  come  and 


254  AT  ETA    WALLACE. 

fan  me  ?  She  went  out  as  soon  as  she  saw  I 
wasn't  thinking  of  her.  What  a  plague  they  all 
are,  to  be  sure !  " 

Later  in  the  evening,  when  Mr.  Wallace's 
handsome  apartments  were  filled  with  the  wealth 
and  fashion  of  the  city,  and  the  enlivening  mu 
sic  was  pealing  out  an  invitation  to  the  dance, 
Florence,  with  no  trace  of  the  afternoon's  peev 
ishness,  stood  gracefully  receiving  her  own  and 
her  mother's  guests.  More  than  one  stopped 
to  look  in  the  exquisitely  beautiful  face,  so  brill 
iantly  fair  and  bewitching,  with  gracious  smiles 
chasing  over  the  rosy  lips,  and  a  most  unnatural 
light  in  the  large  dark  eyes  ;  but  few  paused  to 
think  how  soon  these  frail  flowers  wither  and 
die.  The  fleecy  folds  of  her  lace  dress,  and  the 
perfect  taste  with  which  everything  she  wore 
fitted  her  style  and  figure,  kept  the  idle  world 
from  suspecting  the  exceeding  delicacy  of  her 
frame.  The  slight  cough  was  scarcely  noted. 
Mrs.  Wallace  had  never  been  prouder  of  her 
lovely  daughter,  as  the  unqualified  admiration 
accorded  her  was  heard  on  all  sides ;  even  Meta, 
who  gladly  kept  out  of  the  confusion  around 
Florry,  could  do  little  besides  admire  the  per 
fect  face  and  even  more  perfect  manners  of  her 
sister.  Every  one  acknowledged  the  dtbut  a 
great  success,  and  Florence's  title  to  the  adula 
tion  of  her  little  world  indisputable. 


FLORENCE'S  PARTY.    Page  254. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

HE  winter  season  had  opened  brilliantly. 
Mrs.  Wallace  and  Florence  were  kept 
in  a  perpetual  whirl,  with  no  greater 
control  of  their  convenience  or  time  than  the 
veriest  slave  ;  yet  this  was  pleasure.  The  ex 
citement  of  such  a  life  was  too  much  for  the  del 
icate  constitution  of  the  poor  little  belle,  while 
her  home-life  consisted  of  peevish,  restless  days 
spent  upon  the  lounge  reading  unhealthy  books  ; 
and  she  grew  frailer  and  more  painfully  fair  as 
time  wore  on.  But  no  one  thought  of  this. 
Mrs.  Wallace,  wrapped  up  in  her  worldly  exist 
ence,  scarcely  ever  seeing  her  children  during 
the  "season,"  except  when  Florry  met  her  at 
dinner  or  luncheon,  or  when  there  were  engage 
ments  for  the  daylight,  thought  very  little  of 
why  such  feverish  hands  and  hectic  cheeks  had 

(255) 


256  META    WALLACE,  OR 

become  a  part  of  her  beautiful  belle.  The  world 
admired  and  praised  the  beauty  ;  what  else  could 
she  ask  ?  And  so  it  was  that  those  little  feet  were 
always  incased  in  thin  shoes  or  slippers,  and  the 
alabaster  shoulders  nightly  exposed  to  chance 
draughts.  Very  often  the  poorly-clad  feet  stood 
in  the  snow,  waiting  for  the  carriage  on  an  opera 
night,  or  the  poor  lungs,  crowded  out  of  their 
proper  place  by  the  laws  of  dress,  panted  and 
sighed  for  a  breath  of  pure  air,  while  Florry 
laughed  and  chatted  in  some  heated  room,  where 
disease,  and  languor,  and  future  misery  were 
breathed  in  so  fatally  ;  and  without  a  thought. 
Meta  saw  none  of  all  this.  Her  evenings  were 
devoted  to  letters  and  study — often  to  what 
she  called  a  "good  old  practice" — when  the 
family  were  engaged  at  balls  and  parties.  She 
saw  very  little  more  of  her  mother  and  sister 
than  if  they  had  been  living  in  separate  houses ; 
and  of  her  father  still  less.  Mr.  Wallace  of  late 
years  was  seized  with  a  mania  for  speculating, 
and  it  had  not  improved  his  domestic  qualities. 
Meta  was  shocked  to  find  him  morose  and  fret 
ful,  so  reserved  that  it  seemed  impossible  to  pen 
etrate  to  his  inner  self,  and  seemingly  absorbed 
in  some  engrossing  thought  that  interfered  with 
every  relation  of  life.  Things  went  on  in  the 
thoughtless  household  pretty  much  as  they  had 


THE  SEEN  AND   UNSEEN. 


ever  done.  There  was  the  same  reckless  expend 
iture  and  useless  luxury  ;  as  if  care  was  only  a 
name,  and  human  misery  a  mere  theory,  used 
by  eloquent  pulpit  orators  to  frighten  money  out 
of  the  congregational  pocket. 

Meta,  living  with  her  dear  absent  friends  in 
thought  and  through  the  medium  of  writing, 
rejoiced  in  her  quiet  life.  The  temptations  she 
had  dreaded  were  yet  distant,  and,  on  the  whole, 
it  was  not  so  hard  to  be  good  when  there  was 
no  one  to  interfere  with  her  tastes.  She  spent 
her  mornings  with  the  various  teachers  em 
ployed  for  her,  and  cultivated  her  voice,  with  no 
further  oversight  on  the  mother's  part  than  the 
first  anxiety  that  Meta's  professors  should  be 
strictly  fashionable.  Mrs.  Wallace  never  in 
quired  as  to  her  progress,  and  was  utterly  uncon 
scious  that  her  daughter  possessed  an  accom 
plishment.  She  was  thankful  that  her  manners, 
though  they  "needed  a  little  polishing,  to  be 
sure,"  were  not  countrified,  and  her  face  really 
pretty,  when  not  seen  near  Florry's  ;  that  was 
all.  Meta  sang  and  studied,  and  was  quite 
happy,  left  to  herself;  and  so  time  fled,  un 
noted. 

One  night,  as  Meta  sat  over  her  cosy  fire, 
reading  a  very  pleasant  book,  she  heard  her 
father's  step  on  the  stairs.  It  was  an  unusual 


258  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

hour  for  Mr.  Wallace  to  come  home,  for  it  was 
a  club  night ;  but  Meta  thought  'nothing  of  it, 
and,  after  listening  until  she  heard  her  mother's 
door  open  and  close,  went  back  to  her  delightful 
reading.  The  sound  of  regular  footsteps  in  the 
adjoining  chamber  came  across  her  ears  once 
in  a  while;  but  after  about  an  hour  they  ceased, 
and  there  was  no  sound  in  the  house  until  past 
midnight,  when  the  familiar  chatting  and  laugh 
ing  that  announced  the  return  of  the  revelers 
disturbed  Meta  over  the  last  pages  of  the  book 
she  had  lost  her  rest  to  finish. 

When  Florence  appeared  in  the  doorway  —  a 
vision  of  loveliness  —  Meta  sprang  up  to  greet 
her,  and  was  assisting  the  sleepy  F&icie  in  un 
robing  the  tired  beauty,  when  a  sudden  and  ap 
palling  scream  came  from  Mrs.  Wallace's  room. 
Rushing  past  her  startled  sister,  with  dressing- 
gown  and  hair  flying,  Meta  ran  quickly  to  her 
mother's  door,  the  dreadful  screams  still  pierc 
ing  her  brain.  Throwing  the  door  open  hur 
riedly,  she  saw  her  mother,  resplendent  in  jewels 
and  velvet,  crouching  on  the  rug  before  the 
great  easy-chair  that  was  always  placed  at  Mr. 
Wallace's  reading-table,  near  the  fire,  and  where 
he  now  sat  with  head  resting  on  his  hand.  The 
drop-light  was  turned  up  high,  and  an  open  book 
lay  on  the  reading-table ;  but  the  hand  that  lay 


THE   SEEN  AND   UNSEEN. 


259 


so  listlessly  on  the  leaves  was  cold  and  limp, 
and  the  wide-open  eyes  stared  blindly.  This 
was  a  horrible  explanation  of  those  fearful 
screams,  but  Meta  divined  it  all  at  a  glance. 
Mr.  Wallace  was  dead. 

We  pass  over  the  harrowing  scenes  of  that 
night,  never  to  be  forgotten  by  any  of  his  chil 
dren.  Florence,  carried  away  by  terror  and 
alarm,  fainted  at  the  first  awful  realization  of 
their  loss.  Meta  was  roused  from  her  own 
despairing  efforts  to  soothe  and  comfort  her 
mother,  by  the  fall  of  the  poor,  frail  body  in  the 
doorway,  as  Florence  sank  into  a  deathlike  un 
consciousness  that  seemed  to  give  little  hope  of 
awaking. 

In  looking  back  upon  this  first  view  of  sudden 
death,  Meta  could  never  remember  how  they 
had  lived  through  the  hours  that  followed ;  yet 
the  night  passed,  and  the  morning  dawned. 

The  physician  who  had  watched  and  tended 
the  family  for  years,  with  others  skilled  in  their 
art,  came  sympathizingly  to  proffer  aid ;  but 
there  was  no  healing  to  be  found.  Mr.  Wallace 
had  expired  in  a  stroke  of  paralysis,  and  no  man 
dared  to  offer  comfort  or  hope  to  the  bereaved. 

Friends  poured  in  with  the  morrow,  to  console 
and  sympathize  with  the  widow  and  her  children  ; 
but  so  artificial  had  been  the  life  of  the  house- 


26O  MET  A    WALLACE. 

hold  that  there  were  not  a  few  whose  curiosity 
to  see  how  they  bare  the  blow,  or  a  morbid  fancy 
to  witness  the  proof  that  "  in  the  midst  of  life 
we  are  in  death,"  was  the  moving  cause  in  the 
visit. 

Then  came  the  grand  funeral  of  the  million 
aire,  with  its  nodding  plumes  and  long  line  of 
carriages  ;  the  mournful  anthem,  and  the  sorrow 
ful  procession  along  the  aisle  of  the  handsome 
church ;  and  the  solemn  utterance  of  those 
words  of  mighty  import,  "  ashes  to  ashes,  dust 
to  dust."  Then  the  crowd  went  on  its  way,  and 
the  world  made  its  comments,  and  Edward  Wal 
lace's  dream  of  life  and  place  among  men  was 
over. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

N  examination  into  Mr.  Wallace's  affairs 
by  the  executors  created  another  nine 
days'  wonder,  and  disclosed  very  start 
ling  facts.  Of  the  wealth  in  which  these  chil 
dren  of  fortune  so  blindly  trusted,  a  bare  living 
remained,  and  the  widow  sat  shorn  of  her 
strength,  for  she  had  trusted  in  the  multitude  of 
her  riches.  Edward,  who  had  been  on  an  expen 
sive  Southern  and  Western  tour  for  some  weeks, 
was  summoned  hastily  by  one  of  the  tender 
hearted  executors,  in  order  that  the  shock  to 
Mrs.  Wallace  might  be  softened  as  much  as 
possible ;  but  the  old  gentleman  went  away  in^ 
dignant  and  angry  at  the  expressions  of  disgust 
and  blame  with  which  the  only  son  discussed  so 
bitterly  his  father's  failure.  How  the  immense 
fortune  had  been  wasted,  none  ever  knew ;  the 

(261) 


262  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

secret  of  his  losses  went  down  to  the  grave  with 
the  unfortunate  man,  who  had  died  in  the  midst 
of  his  luxuries,  alone. 

We  will  not  attempt  to  portray  Mrs.  Wallace's 
consternation  when  the  fact  was  revealed  to  her 
that  she  had  lost  all  that  made  up  her  existence. 
It  was  her  first  realization  of  the  truth  that 
man's  life  "  fleeth  as  a  shadow,  and  continuelh 
not ; "  and  the  dire,  overwhelming  fate  crushed 
her  proud  spirit  to  the  earth. 

To  Florry,  the  idea  of  poverty  was  one  of  sim 
ple  degradation.  Small  economies,  and  the  ab 
sence  of  those  luxuries  which  were  so  necessary 
to  her  being,  never  occurred  to  her ;  she  could 
grasp  no  medium  between  wealth  and  absolute 
destitution.  No  idea  of  gratitude  that  enough 
for  sustenance  had  been  spared  them  came  into 
her  heart.  She  had  heard  there  were  people 
who  managed  to  live  decently  on  a  few  hun 
dreds,  but  she  did  not  believe  it.  She  had  seen 
wretched  humanity  in  rags  and  tatters  too  often 
to  question  its  existence,  but  she  had  been  taught 
to  regard  these  people  as  impostors,  and  so 
had  grown  to  look  upon  hunger  and  nakedness 
as  a  sort  of  abstract  imposition  itself ;  perhaps 
even  greater  than  the  miserable  creatures  who 
fished  out  their  meals  from  the  gutters  of  those 
dreadful  streets  she  feared  to  enter. 


THE  SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  263 

When  Meta  heard  the  truth,  that  "  plate,  car 
riage,  horses,  houses,  everything  must  be  sold, 
.  and  the  family  come  down  from  fifty  thousand  a 
year  to  just  eight  hundred,"  she  was  perhaps  as 
much  startled  as  the  rest,  but  not  overcome. 
She  could  not  but  think  of  the  repining  spirit 
she  had  indulged  at  the  temptation  now  forever 
removed,  and  was  self-rebuked  and  humbled  at 
what  He  who  knew  her  best  had  chosen  for 
her.  Sometimes  the  fear  would  come  that  she 
would  find  duty  much  harder  with  so  much 
bitterness  and  murmuring  around  her  than 
with  the  wealth  she  had  considered  such  a  bur 
den  ;  but  she  did  not  suffer  the  thought  to  gain 
possession  of  her  mind,  and  battled  bravely 
with  the  natural  regret  at  giving  up  the  de 
lightful  home  she  had  learned  to  appreciate. 
It  was  hard  to  "  fight  the  good  fight  "  when  the 
gay  banners  were  trailed  in  dust,  and  the  proud 
forces  so  often  routed,  bleeding  and  almost  ready 
to  avoid  the  conflict ;  but  there  was  a  strength 
on  which  she  relied  that  did  not  desert  her  here. 
Even  when  disheartened  by  foes  without  and 
fears  within,  she  trusted  to  that  mighty  hand 
and  unsearchable  wisdom  that  giveth  not  always 
the  battle  to  the  strong ;  and  so,  through  prayer 
ful  faith,  she  found  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need, 
and  strength  to  subdue  the  unruly  mutiny  of 
her  heart. 


264  META    WALLACE,  OK 

Florry  found  it  very  hard  to  submit. 

"  Mamma !  "  she  cried,  passionately,  in  the 
first  family  council  after  the  startling  news, 
"  mamma !  I  shall  not  give  up  my  harp,  nor  my 
jewels,  nor  my  silks  !  I  never  can." 

"  Oh,  no,  of  course  not !  "  sneered  Edward  ; 
"  but  I  must  give  up  my  cigars,  my  club,  iny 
opera-box!  Is  that  your  tune,  Miss  Selfish 
ness  ? " 

"I  am  sure,  children,"  cried  Mrs.  Wallace, 
fretfully,  "  /  have  to  sacrifice  most  of  all  !  You 
are  young,  and  can  outlive  this  disgrace ;  but 
fancy  what  /shall  suffer  to  endure  the  horrors 
of  one  of  those  dismal  brick  houses  down  town." 

"I'd  rather  die!"  exclaimed  Florry,  crying; 
"  yes,  I  would,  Meta,  so  you  needn't  look  so 
shocked  !  I  would  just  as  soon  be  dead,  as  live 
as  far  down  as  Bond  street,  even ;  and  mamma 
says  Waverley  place,  or  Clinton  either,  would 
be  out  of  the  question.  Don't  look  so  solemn ! 
I  declare  you'd  vex  the  patience  of  a  saint !  " 

The  excitement  of  contradiction  had  brought 
a  glow  to  her  face,  making  her  loveliness  so  un 
earthly  that  Edward  paused  in  his  moody  walk 
through  the  room  to  admire  it. 

"  If  she'd  just  marry  a  million,  now,"  he 
thought,  suddenly,  "some  of  this  ugly  business 
might  be  managed." 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  26$ 

« 

Florry  had  now  begun  to  cough,  and  a  fearful 
paroxysm,  such  as  no  one  but  Meta  had  ever 
seen  before,  racked  the  frail  frame,  making  the 
thick  beads  stand  out  on  her  forehead.  Mrs. 
Wallace  arose  in  alarm,  and  held  a  glass  of 
water  to  the  quivering  lips. 

"  Why  can't  you  let  her  alone  ?  "  she  asked  of 
Meta,  querulously.  "  She  hasn't  coughed  like 
that  for  an  age,  and  it's  nothing  but  your  absurd 
contradictions." 

Meta  did  not  answer,  but  her  heart  was  full. 

"  O  mother,  mother,"  was  her  secret  thought ; 
"has  it  come  to  this,  and  you  are  blind  still? 
Poor  Florry ! " 

Very  tenderly  she  bathed  Florry's  brow  when 
the  paroxysm  had  passed  off.  She  was  thinking 
of  a  sunny  head  lying  low  "  under  the  daisies," 
in  the  village  church-yard  so  far  away. 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Florence,  graciously,  as 
she  revived  and  straightened  her  hair  ;  "  only  I 
would  not  be  such  a  cry-baby,  Meta.  Mamma! 
she  is  actually  in  tears  !  " 

"  It's  not  surprising,  considering  our  trials," 
said  Mrs.  Wallace,  going  back  to  her  woes. 
"  And  now,  Edward,  quit  that  everlasting  whist 
ling,  and  be  rational  enough  to  help  me  make 
out  this  inventory  of  my  private  possessions; 
will  you  ? " 


266  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

And  so,  through  innumerable  disputes  and  re 
criminations,  the  sorrow  was  met,  and  the  down 
fall  endured  in  bitter  complainings. 

In  a  few  weeks  after  Mr.  Wallace's  death,  his 
family  were  comfortably  installed  in  their  new 
residence ;  a  plain  brick  tenement  on  Bond 
street,  where  there  were  no  servants  to  answer 
Mrs.  Wallace's  silver  bejl,  and  no  Felicie  to 
dress  Florence's  beautiful  hair.  But  Meta's  deft 
fingers  were  so  skillful  in  frizzing  and  braiding, 
that  after  a  little  practice  she  was  declared  al 
most  equal  to  the  renowned  "  Sistine,"  who  had 
been  Florry's  authority  on  such  matters  in  Paris. 
Mrs.  Walker,  though  she  had  begged  to  be  al 
lowed  to  share  the  family  misfortunes,  was  too 
expensive  a  luxury  as  housekeeper  of  so  small 
an  establishment;  and,  moreover,  Mrs.  Wallace 
shrunk  from  every  one  who  could  recall  those 
"  better  days  "  that  were  now  the  source  of  her 
vain  repinings. 

The  world  had  said  all  it  had  to  say,  and 
shrugged  its  shoulders  resignedly  over  the 
downfall  of  the  Wallace  pride,  and  now  the  long- 
idolized  leaders  of  society  had  sunk  out  of  its 
great  whirl,  and,  before  many  months  had  passed, 
were  spoken  of  as  indifferently,  by  many  who 
had  been  glad  to  own  the  prestige  of  intimacy, 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  267 

as  though  they  had  never  existed  in  the  sunlight 
of  the  "  upper  ten."  Perhaps  their  own  sensi 
tiveness  may  have  helped  to  bring  about  this 
state  of  things,  for  there  were  many  sincere 
offers  of  sympathy  and  acts  of  true  friendliness 
at  first.  But  even  the  best  disposed  hesitated 
to  incur  the  severe,  almost  rude  repulse  that 
awaited  any  advances  which  savored  of  pity,  and 
were  therefore  an  offense  to  the  nostrils  of  pride. 
Mrs.  Wallace  resented  as  impertinence  what  was 
meant  in  all  kindliness  of  heart ;  and  it  was  no 
wonder  that  she  had  cause  to  mourn,  in  bitter 
ness  of  soul,  the  instability  and  self-interest  that 
formed  the  basis  of  summer  friendships. 

With  Meta's  friends  it  was  very  different.  In 
the  first  great  agony  of  spirit,  they  had  cheered 
and  soothed  with  the  tenderest  love,  pouring 
balm  in  upon  the  bruised  heart  and  quivering 
nerves,  and  leading  the  rebellious  will  to  the 
only  true  source  of  comfort  —  reliance  upon 
God,  whose  chastening  is  all  inflicted  in  love. 

" '  Though  he  slay  me,  yet  will  I  trust  in 
him,' "  wrote  Miss  Clifton,  in  one  of  her  earnest 
Christian  letters.  "  My  poor,  dear  child,  do  not 
give  up  to  rebellious  despair  because  the  trial  of 
your  faith  is  sent  in  so  different  a  form  from 
what  you  had  imagined.  God's  face  is  not  turned 
away,  if  you  will  but  think  of  it ;  and  though  it 


268  META    WALLACE,  OR 

sometimes  seems  hard  that  these  grievous  bur 
dens  are  imposed,  we  must  have  faith  enough  to 
believe  that  all  things  work  together  for  good, 
and  that  what  is  strange  and  blurred  to  our 
darkened  vision  here,  shall  surely  be  revealed 
face  to  face.  Do  we  ever  doubt  that  God  is 
watching  over  to  defend  us  in  our  mortal  nights, 
when  we  lie  down  to  sleep  trustfully,  with  no 
fear  of  what  may  come  to  us  in  the  silence  and 
unconsciousness  of  slumber  ?  Then  why  should 
he  not  be  with  us  still,  though  we  cannot  see 
him,  in  that  dark  night  of  spiritual  sorrow  when 
the  awfulness  of  a  great  bereavement  is  upon  us, 
and  the  soul  faints  for  fear  ?  Ah,  Meta !  surely 
he  is  there,  else  were  our  faith  indeed  a  vain 
thing !  Do  not  forget  that  in  the  helplessness 
of  such  sorrows  we  have  gone  back  to  the  weak 
ness  of  childhood,  when  the  brain  is  striving  to 
grasp  life's  mysteries,  and  we  are  forced  to  yield 
to  the  guidance  of  the  mother's  knowledge, 
though  we  cannot  understand  why  such  things 
be.  Just  so  must  we  follow  when  he  bids  us 
walk  with  him  through  the  dim  paths  of  his  mys 
terious  dispensations,  clinging  to  that  hand  as 
the  wondering  child  to  its  mother's  wisdom,  and 
going  forth  into  the  maze,  believing  that  what 
we  know  not  now,  we  shall  know  hereafter." 
And  so  was  Meta  stayed  and  comforted  with 


,  THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  269 

the  tender  friendship  that  brought  such  goodly 
fruit  in  her  time  of  need.  The  pleasure  once 
found  in  her  long  letters  to  Winny  was  now  the 
chief  solace  when  more  than  ordinary  depression 
weighed  upon  her  heart.  She  was  finding  it 
very  hard  to  meet  the  daily  trials,  petty  and 
trivial  as  they  seemed  when  summed  up  ;  the 
annoyances  of  making  a  very  little  seem  a  great 
deal  to  the  fastidious  mother  and  sister,  who 
gave  up  the  whole  responsibility  of  the  house 
hold  to  her ;  trying,  out  of  their  limited  means, 
to  furnish  Florry  with  delicacies  and  Edward 
with  the  ready  cash  he  so  selfishly  and  thought 
lessly  demanded  ;  and  keeping  up  a  show  of  gen 
tility  about  the  small  establishment,  with  no  aid 
but  her  own  inventions  and  energy.  Edward 
from  the  first  had  refused  to  have  anything  to 
do  with  the  finances,  and  it  came  about  very 
naturally  that  Meta's  shoulders  were  fitted  to 
the  burden,  and  must  bear  it.  The  small  in 
come  was  regularly  paid  by  their  kind  business 
friend,  who  pitied  the  widow's  helplessness, 
though  he  scowled  at  Edward's  indolent  scorn 
at  the  idea  of  assuming  the  direction  of  affairs, 
£nd  reprimanded  him  very  shortly  for  a  "  lazy, 
selfish  fellow." 

All  of  this  had  little  effect,  as  a  matter  of 
course ;   and   the    kind-hearted    old   gentleman 


2/O  META    WALLACE. 

saw  that  he  must  either  assume  charge  of  the 
'finances,  or  very  soon  "  Wallace's  family  would 
be  on  the  parish,  sir ! "  as  he  indignantly  said 
to  one  of  his  business  friends.  Mr.  Wallace's 
old  associates  had  offered  Edward  a  very  excel 
lent  situation  as  soon  as  the  extent  of  their 
losses  was  known ;  but,  after  an  instant's  glance 
of  intense  scorn  in  the  face  of  the  friend  who  had 
been  bold  enough  to  make  the  proposal,  Edward 
indignantly  rejected  it. 

"  Do  you  think  my  father's  son  would  sta-nd 
behind  a  counter  in  a  dry  goods  store  ? "  he 
asked,  angrily.  "  No,  sir!  ,If  you  had  given  me  a 
situation  in  a  bank  or  on  'change,  or  a  railroad 
presidency,  or  something  respectable  and  honor 
able,  which  would  not  be  a  stain  on  the  name; 
but  a  clerkship  —  bah  !  " 

The  amazed  merchant,  who  fancied  he  was 
doing  something  very  friendly  to  meddle  in  the 
affairs  of  such  a  worthless  fellow  at  all,  did  not 
conceal  his  anger  at  the  scornful,  injured  tone; 
and,  for  once  in  his  life,  Edward  Wallace  was 
shown  his  character  in  its  true  light.  He  was 
not  benefited  by  the  lecture,  however,  and  the 
language  of  his  reply  was  so  insolent  and  insult 
ing  to  gray  hairs,  that  the  substantial  interest 
and  kindly  feeling  of  his  father's  old  friend  was 
forever  estranged  from  the  family. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

LADY  in  the  parlor,  mum,  as  wishes 
to  see  yez,"  announced    the  raw  Irish 
girl,   the  Wallaces'  maid-of-all-work,  in 
her  rich  brogue. 

Meta  looked  up  from  the  book  she  was  read 
ing  aloud  to  Florry,  and  repeated,  absently,  "  A 
lady?" 

"  Yes,  mum ;  sure,  an'  she'd  want  to  come  in 
here,  wither  or  no  —  " 

"  For  pity's  sake,  go  and  see  who  it  is,  Meta," 
interrupted  Florence,  impatiently.  "That  girl 
will  be  the  death  of  me,  I  know  she  will !  If 
somebody  can't  teach  her  the  English  language, 
I'll  go  to  the  door  myself ;  the  odious  creature 
makes  me  nervous.  Suppose  Nina  Appleton 
happened  to  call !  " 

Meta  knew  that  this   was  scarcely  a  proba- 

(271) 


272  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

bility ;  but,  as  it  always  furnished  Florry  with  an 
excuse  to  make  an  exertion,  she  never  denied 
the  fact  that  Nina  might  come,  and  Florry 
lived  on  in  hope.  Poor  beauty !  this  was  one  of 
her  bad  days.  The  racking  cough  and  feverish 
flush  were  increased  by  every  little  cross,  and  no 
one  ventured  to  oppose  any  of  her  countless 
whims.  Meta  attempted  no  defense  of  poor 
Catherine's  undeniable  brogue,  but,  laying  aside 
her  book,  went  out  in  the  narrow  entry  to  see 
who  the  rare  visitor  might  be,  leaving  the  per 
plexed  Irish  girl  to  go  through  a  rigid  lecture 
on  the  proper  pronunciation  of  words.  Florry 
was  growing  really  interested  in  her  curious 
task,  when  she  heard  a  sudden  uproar  at  the 
door. 

"  Bless  the  sweet  face  of  ye  !  "  cried  a  hearty 
voice,  in  almost  as  rich  a  brogue  as  Catherine's. 
"  Kiss  your  old  Bridget,  my  blessed  lamb !  Sure, 
did  ye  think  I  was  forgettin'  you  in  your 
trouble,  when  my  own  heart  has  been  bleedin' 
and  longin'  for  ye  so  long  ?  And  to  think  that 
stupid  creature  of  a  girl  wouldn't  let  me  rush  to 
ye,  the  minute  I  found  the  house ! " 

"  Shut  the  door,"  cried  Florry,  hurriedly,  to 
the  girl,  "  and  go  away !  I  believe  we  will  have 
an  Irish  regiment  here  before  the  day  is  out. 
The  idea  of  Meta  hugging  and  kissing  that  great 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  2/3 

fat  Bridget !  Oh,  me !  now  she'll  go  crazy  over 
her  again,  and  I  won't  have  a  soul  to  read  to 
me  !  Mamma  drawls  awfully ;  Meta  is  the  only 
person  that  can  read  with  a  particle  of  tune  in 
her  voice." 

Meanwhile,  Meta  was  hugging  Bridget  raptur 
ously,  listening  through  her  tears  to  the  enthu 
siastic  delight  of  her  old  nurse,  her  praise  of  the 
sweet,  girlish  face,  and  the  extravagant  assertion 
that  "  never  was  Florry  a  whit  more  beautiful 
than  her  own  baby  was  now."  The  mention 
of  Florry  reminded  her  that  she  had  been  left 
unceremoniously,  and  was  possibly  cross;  so, 
half  leading^  half  dragging  Bridget  along,  she 
opened  the  dining-room  door,  where  they  had 
been  sitting,  and  led  the  honest,  faithful  creat 
ure,  in  the  most  matter-of-fact  way,  to  Florry's 
lounge. 

"Sure,  an'  is  it"  sick  ye  are?"  exclaimed 
Bridget,  dusting  a  chair  in  her  usual  way,  before 
seating  herself. 

"  How  do  you  do,  Bridget?"  said  Florence, 
holding  out  a  languid  hand.  "  Yes,  I'm  sick,  but 
don't  ask  me  how  I  feel,  for  I  hate  it." 

"  Dear  Florry's  cough  troubles  her,"  said 
Meta,  gently,  giving  Bridget  a  warning  look. 

"  Sure,  it's  smoke  mullen  ye  must,"  the  woman 
said,  more  for  an  excuse  to  hide  her  surprise  at 
18 


274  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

the  wreck  before  her  than  to  really  venture  on 
advising. 

"  Smoke  mullen  ! "  cried  Florry,  with  a  gest 
ure  of  disgust ;  "  I  think  I  see  myself  smoking 
anything  !  " 

"  Me  mother  tried  it,"  said  Bridget,  not  re 
senting  the  tone  as  she  once  would  have  done. 
Though  Florence  had  never  been  a  favorite,  she 
was  truly  shocked  and  grieved  to  see  her  in  such 
an  evident  decline,  and  a  feeling  of  tenderness 
that  she  had  never  expected  to  display  for  her 
old  enemy  in  the  nursery  filled  her  eyes  with 
tears. 

But  though  Florry  resented  as  an  insult  the 
bare  mention  of  such  a  remedy  for  her  cough, 
and  turned  her  back  on  Bridget,  pretending  to 
read,  she  was  nevertheless  quite  interested  in 
the  conversation  that  ensued;  for  the  old  nurse 
had  much  to  relate. 

"  I've  had  me  ups  and  me  downs,"  she  said, 
resignedly ;  "  but  the  Lord  has  blessed  me  with 
strength  and  health.  These  arms  has  never 
failed  me  yet,  and  I've  never  to  say  gone  without 
bread  and  a  place  to  lay  my  head  at  night. 
But  I've  had  me  ups  and  me  downs  ! " 

Florry  here  glanced  at  Meta  with  a  queer  ex 
pression,  as  if  she  felt  inclined  to  repeat  for 
Bridget's  benefit  the  lecture  recently  given  to 


THE  SEEN  AND    UNSEEN. 


the  house-girl  ;  and  Meta,  fearing  she  might  be 
tempted  to  do  it,  hurriedly  changed  the  subject 
by  asking  how  it  was  that  Bridget  had  never 
found  them  out  until  now. 

"  Oh,  I  heard  when  ye  came  back  from 
school,"  she  replied,  "  but  I  was  just  going  for  a 
sitiwation  in  the  South  as  was  offered  me,  and  I 
was  forced  off,  like.  I  didn't  stay  there  very 
long  ;  the  climate  didn't  agree  with  me,  and  the 
ways  was  different.  Well  !  when  I  set  foot  in 
New  York  again,  and  went  to  the  old  place  to 
see  ye,  sure,  the  people  was  strangers,  and  no 
one  could  tell  me  aught  of  ye." 

"  What  !  "  cried  Florry,  sharply  ;  "  have  they 
forgotten,  so  soon,  who  and  what  the  Wallaces 
are?" 

"  Ay  !  it's  the  way  of  the  world,  honey,"  said 
Bridget,  soothingly,  as  she  hastily  skipped  that 
part  of  her  story,  and  said,  contentedly,  "  Well  ! 
I  found  ye,  though,  for  all,  and  the  Lord  be 
praised  for  it.  But  the  afternoon's  waning,  sure, 
and  I  must  be  off  with  me  ;  "  rising  reluctantly, 
and  putting  her  hand  in  a  'capacious  pocket, 
doubtfully. 

"  My  baby,"  she  cried  to  Meta,  blushing,  as 
she  drew  out  a  large  paper  parcel  from  the  said 
pocket  —  "  my  baby,  you  had  a  sweet  tooth,  I  re 
member  me  !  Here's  a  morsel  of  candy  —  car 
amels  —  " 


276  META    WALLACE,  OR 

"  Caramels ! "  repeated  Florry,  eagerly.  "  Oh, 
dear,  I  am  so  glad  !  Do  give  me  one,  Meta ! " 

Bridget  threw  the  parcel  on  the  lounge,  in  a 
relieved  way,  avoiding  Meta's  eyes,  that  were 
looking  thankfully  in  her  face,  and  helped  Florry 
to  a  selection  of  the  candy.  Then,  adding  two 
oranges  to  the  gift,  she  drew  her  shawl  about 
her,  and  bade  Florry  good-bye. 

"Good-bye,  Bridget,"  said  the  invalid,  gra 
ciously  ;  "  it  was  real  good  of  you  to  bring  me 
some  oranges.  I've  been  wanting  some  ever  so 
long,  and  didn't  know  exactly  what  I  was  crav- 
ing." 

Bridget  did  not  venture  to  say  that  her  last 
shilling  had  been  expended  entirely  for  the  ben 
efit  of  "  her  baby ;  "  she  had  not  the  heart  to 
take  away  the  evident  satisfaction  of  the  sick 
girl,  who  was  so  eagerly  turning  over  the  candy 
and  smelling  the  fragrant  fruit. 

"You'll  not  be  mad  with  old  Bridget  ?"  whis 
pered  the  nurse  to  Meta,  as  they  stood  at  the 
door. 

"  Angry,  indeed  ! "  sobbed  the  poor  child,  lay 
ing  her  weary  head  on  the  old  resting-place.  "  O 
Bridget,  God  bless  your  tenderness  and  thought 
ful  love!  Oh,  I  have  been  so  unhappy  —  so 
miserable  ! " 

"  I  see,  I  see,  my  darlint,  but  God  will  help  ye 


THE  SEEN  AND   UNSEEN. 


bear  it.  Sure,  I  know  it's  hard,  but  don't  give 
up  !  And  that  poor  one  beyond  there,"  nod 
ding  in  Florry's  direction,  "  she'll  not  be  long 
among  ye.  Bear  with  her,  Meta,  bear  with  her 
—  poor  lamb  !  And  if  ye  ever  need  money,  and 
your  old  Bridget  can  work  her  fingers  off  for 
ye,  ye  shall  have  it  !  Hush  !  don't  cry  !  it  makes 
my  heart  bleed  ;  "  and  Bridget  said  good-bye 
hurriedly,  in  the  midst  of  sobs,  as  Florry's  voice, 
calling  Meta  plaintively,  came  wafted  out  to  the 
door. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

AVE  you  found  anything  to  do,  yet, 
Edward  ?  "  asked  his  mother,  one  day, 
at  their  plain  dinner,  when  Meta  an 
nounced  the  fact  that  it  yet  lacked  six  days  be 
fore  the  month's  allowance  would  be  paid,  and 
there  were  only  two  dollars  in  her  purse.  Ed 
ward  was  standing  at  the  fire,  coolly  lighting  a 
cigar,  while  the  rest  sat  around  the  small  table. 
"  Have  you  really  tried  to  get  employment  ? " 
continued  Mrs.  Wallace.  "Do  come  and  sit  at 
the  table  like  a  gentleman,  and  quit  smoking 
while  we  are  at  dinner." 

"  Certainly,  madam,"  said  Edward,  throwing 
the  coal  back  in  the  fire;  "I  shall  always  en 
deavor  to  be  a  gentleman,  though  I  confess  these 
surroundings  make  it  a  difficult  position.     No, 
(278} 


THE  -SEEN  AND   UNSEEN. 


279 


thank  you !  —  no  dinner.  I  can't  eat  beefsteak 
and  rice ;  never  could." 

"  Why,  Edward ! "  cried  Meta,  reproachfully. 

"  Yes,  I  know  what  you  want  to  say,  sis  ! 
'  Better  a  dinner  of  herbs, '  etc. ;  I'm  familiar 
with  the  quotation,  thank  you.  But  give  me  the 
'  stalled  ox,'  if  you  please !  I  never  had  primitive 
tastes." 

"No  one  wants  you  to  eat,"  said  his  mother, 
severely;  "but  I  would  thank  you  to  answer 
my  question,  Edward.  Have  you  tried  to  find 
work  ? " 

"  What  shall  I  do,  mamma  ?  '  I  cannot  dig;  to 
beg  I  am  ashamed.'  You  needn't  open  your 
eyes,  Meta !  I  know  that  comes  out  of  the 
Bible ! "  And  he  laughed  heartily  at  this  witty 
speech.  Presently  he  went  on,  for  no  one  cared 
to  comment  upon  his  rudeness  : 

"  By  the  .way,  ma  m&re,  old  Wilson  did  offer 
me  a  place,  but  such  a  place !  How  would  you 
like  to  see  me  behind  the  cloak  counter  at  Ar 
nold's?" 

"  Arnold's  !  "  repeated  Mrs.  Wallace,  a  flush 
mounting  to  her  face  quickly. 

"  I  thought  you  wouldn't  approve  of  dry 
goods,  exactly,"  said  Edward,  composedly  tak 
ing  up  his  hat ;  "  none  of  us  like  to  disgrace 
our  name  —  " 


28O  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

"  It's  no  disgrace  to  work  for  your  mother," 
cried  Meta,  impulsively. 

"Ah,  indeed,  little  miss!  So,  that's  the  way 
you  talk  to  your  elders  ?  Of  course,  it's  just 
like  a  girl's  reasoning  and  selfishness.  /  am  to 
be  sacrificed  on  a  counter,  that  you  and  Florry 
may  be  dressed  in  furbelows  and  eat  candy." 

Meta  made  no  reply,  though  her  face  was 
flushed,  and  she  felt  herself  giving  way  to  an 
old-time  fit  of  temper.  With  a  great  effort  she 
repressed  the  sharp  words  that  were  trembling 
on  her  lips,  and  set  to  work  to  preach  down  her 
heart. 

"  Mamma,"  she  said,  mildly,  "  I  have  tried 
very  hard  not  to  annoy  you  with  these  cares, 
but  I  find  it  impossible  to  keep  within  our  allow 
ance.  Poor  Florry  must  have  her  cordials,  and 
Edward  will  smoke." 

"  If  Mr.  Clay  would  lend  us  —  "  began  Mrs. 
Wallace,  doubtfully. 

"  Oh,  no !  Don't  let  us  come  to  that,  yet, 
mamma." 

Edward  laughed  rudely,  as  she  paused,  blush 
ing. 

"  So,  that's  your  game,  is  it  ?  Going  on  the 
grand  independent  line  ?  I'd  like  to  know  how 
you  propose  to  manage  it!  Always  thought 
there  was  a  screw  loose  in  your  composition, 


THE  SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  28 1 

somewhere,  but  this  is  rich,  to  be  surel  What 
do  you  expect  to  eat  until  next  month's  pay 
day?" 

"  Just  what  you  do ! "  retorted  Meta,  impa 
tiently. 

"  Ah,  indeed,  young  one !  I  have  an  account 
at  Delmonico's,  it's  true ;  but  you  don't  propose 
joining  my  dinners,  do  you  ? " 

The  tears  came  into  his  sister's  eyes  as  he 
rudely  tapped  her  chin  with  his  cigar ;  but  s-he 
did  not  allow  her  angry  spirit  to  gain  ascend 
ency.  If  she  could  not  "  strengthen  the  breth 
ren,"  she  would  at  least  do  nothing  to  retard 
their  progress,  and  schooled  herself  to  Edward's 
taunting,  provoking  manners  by  never  encourag 
ing  such  conversations.  The  careless  fellow, 
seeing  there  was  nothing  to  be  gained,  took  up 
his  hat  and  thrust  a  few  cigars  in  his  pocket. 
When  he  had  reached  the  door,  he  drew  a  letter 
from  his  side  pocket,  saying,  carelessly,  as  he 
threw  it  to  Meta : 

"  There  !  I've  had  that  in  my  pocket  a  day 
or  two,  I  believe  !  It's  yours,  Miss  Sobersides  ! 
.1  hope  you'll  find  your  week's  rations  inside." 
And,  whistling  a  light  opera  air,  he  walked  off, 
leaving  a  long  line  of  tobacco  smoke  behind 
him. 

Meta,  glancing  eagerly  at  her  letter,  saw  that 


282  ME  FA    WALLACE,  OR 

the  handwriting  was  Winny's,  and  laid  it  aside 
for  future  enjoyment,  thinking  that,  now  Ed 
ward  had  taken  himself  off,  she  had  best  pursue 
the  serious  subject  in  hand.  Accordingly  she 
began  earnestly  to  endeavor  to  convince  her 
mother  that  something  must  be  done,  some  new 
plan  devised  for  regulating  the  household  expend 
iture  and  curtailing  the  outlay.  But  Mrs.  Wal 
lace,  irritated  at  Edward's  speech  and  the  neces 
sity  of  facing  such  disagreeable  facts,  would  not 
discuss  the  matter  at  all,  and  bade  Meta,  peev 
ishly,  to  read  her  letter  and  be  done  with  it. 

Knowing  how  useless  it  would  be  to  attempt 
remonstrance,  the  perplexed  young  housekeeper 
drew  a  long  breath  and  broke  the  seal,  glancing 
over  the  closely-written  pages  with  an  inward 
thankfulness  that  there  was  one  friend  whose 
ear  was  always  open  to  her  troubles,  and  whose 
counsels  brought  help  and  comfort  when  she 
was  most  tried.  As  she  read  on,  one  paragraph 
brought  such  a  glad  surprise  that  she  made  a 
loud  exclamation  of  delight. 

"  What  does  she  say  ? "  asked  Mrs.  Wallace, 
languidly.  "  I  believe  you  really  like  that  wo 
man  better  than  you  do  your  own  people, 
Meta." 

"  O  mamma ! "  cried  Meta,  her  enthusiasm 
somewhat  clouded  by  this  speech.  "  Indeed,  I 


THE  SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  283 

could  not  help  being  very  glad  to  hear  that  our 
dear  old  Monsieur  Jean  is  coming  to  New  York 
to  live.  Think  how  joyful  it  will  be  !  " 

"  I  can't  see  anything  joyful  about  it.  Remem 
ber,  Meta,  that  your  circumstances  have  materi 
ally  changed  since  you  left  Glencove.  I  am  sur 
prised  that  your  pride  does  not  rebel  against 
seeing  an  old  friend  under  this  roof !  " 

"  Monsieur  Jean  never  would  think  of  that," 
said  Meta,  smiling  at  the  idea  of  the  old  French 
man's  friendship  depending  upon  her  surround 
ings  ;  but  she  did  not  express  her  vehement  de 
light  again,  contenting  herself  with  reading  over 
and  .over  again  the  intelligence  that  gave  her  so 
much  pleasure.  Miss  Clifton  had  written  as 
follows : 

We  are  all  greatly  distressed  at  the  certainty  of  losing  our  dear 
professor.  He  has  been  often  solicited  by  foreign  friends  who 
have  established  themselves  in  New  York  at  various  times,  to 
leave  the  retirement  of  Glencove,  and  make  a  future  for  him 
self  in  the  city.  The  inducements  offered  have  had  no  weight 
heretofore,  but  of  late  madame  and  himself  have  found  a  per 
petual  source  of  discord,  and  he  is  about  to  leave.  Entreaty 
has  had  no  effect,  and  Mr.  Leslie,  sorely  disturbed,  has  no  al 
ternative  but  to  accept  his  resignation.  He  was  lately  offered 
a  very  lucrative  post  in  New  York,  and  I  have  no  doubt  will 
make  a  name  for  himself ;  for  his  talent  amounts  almost  to  a 
genius  for  music.  What  we  shall  do  without  him  is  hard 
to  imaginej  but  I  shall  not  be  selfish  enough  to  repine  at  his 
improved  fortunes,  nor  to  grieve  over  a  piece  of  news  that 
I  know  is  such  a  source  of  pleasure  to  you.  .  .  . 


284  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

When  the  frugal  dinner  was  over,  and  Mrs. 
Wallace  composedly  taking  her  afternoon  nap, 
in  forgetfulness  of  the  fact  that  Meta's  purse 
held  just  two  dollars,  our  young  friend  drew  her 
chair  to  the  window,  rejoicing  that  for  awhile 
she  might  have  her  precious  letter  all  to  herself. 
But  she  did  not  long  enjoy  the  quiet  of  the  little 
back  room. 

"  Miss  Meta,  sure,  an'  there's  no  tay  at  all,  at 
all,  in  the  house,  and  Miss  Florry  is  just  bidding 
me  make  her  a  cup,  strong  as  lye,"  announced 
Catherine,  opening  the  door,  and  showing  her 
perplexed  face. 

"  No  tea  ? "  said  Meta,  absently ;  "  are  you 
quite  sure,  Catherine?" 

"  Faith,  an'  I  am,  miss.  I  took  the  last  this 
morning  for  the  missus.  What's  to  be  done,  an' 
it  please  you  ? " 

"  Why,  run  to  the  grocery  at  the  corner,  of 
course,  and  get  it  as  soon  as  you  can.  Miss 
Florry  mustn't  be  kept  waiting.  How  much  is 
it?" 

"Two  dollar  the  pound,  for  the  kind  yez 
drinks." 

Meta  came  out  of  her  reverie  at  the  announce 
ment.  Two  dollars  for  a  single  pound  of  tea ! 
What  would  become  of  her  ?  Florry  dearly  loved 
the  beverage,  and  would  drink  only  the  best  and 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  285 

strongest,  never  troubling  herself  to  find  out 
where  or  how  the  money  was  obtained  for  the 
luxury  —  which  it  had  now  grown  to  be.  If  her 
whim  was  opposed,  the  probabilities  were 
strongly  in  favor  of  a  coughing  spell,  that  al 
ways  ended  in  excessive  weakness. 

With  a  sigh  Meta  went  up  to  her  little  bureau 
and  took  out  the  purse.  Selecting  one  of  the 
four  shining  half-dollars,  she  ran  down-stairs, 
and  hurriedly  put  it  into  Catherine's  hand. 

"  I  hates  to  trouble  you,  mum,"  said  the  girl, 
hesitatingly  ;  "  but  if  yez  could  give  me  a  shil 
ling  more  ?  There's  not  the  first  morsel  o' 
butter." 

"  Never  mind,"  said  Meta,  wearily ;  "  we'll  do 
without  that  now,  Catherine." 

She  went  back  to  her  station  at  the  dining- 
room  window,  but  the  letter  from  Glencove  was 

• 

a  secondary  matter  now.  For  the  first  time  in 
many  days,  her  courage  gave  way  under  the  dif 
ficulties  she  encountered  alone  and  unaided. 
Edward's  taunts  and  her  mother's  strange  in 
difference  came  over  her  with  all  their  power  to 
wound  and  perplex,  and,  bowing  her  head  on  the 
narrow  sill,  the  tears,  so  bravely  kept  back, 
poured  forth  at  last.  Florence  had  grown  visi 
bly  weaker  and  more  fragile,  her  cough  increas 
ing  with  every  change  of  weather  or,  indeed,  of 


286  META    IV ALL  ACE,  OR 

temper.  Those  who  have  never  kept  watch  over 
»the  sure  victims  of  consumption,  seeing  the  light 
step  grow  so  languid,  and  the  life  gradually  but 
surely  fading  out  of  dear,  bright  eyes,  can  never 
imagine  the  heart-sickness  of  such  vigils.  The 
disease  deceives  so  often  with  its  fatal  semblance 
of  health,  that  it  is  sometimes  hard  to  believe 
the  fairness  and  brightness  that  make  up  a 
beauty  surpassing  the  mortal  are  only  the  un 
erring  harbingers  of  a  sure  decay. 

One  of  Meta's  sorest  trials  was  the  utter 
blindness  of  her  mother  to  Florry's  state  ;  the 
absolute,  unquestioning  security  in  which  each 
day,  that  brought  her  worshiped  darling  nearer 
to  the  destroyer,  w'as  yawned  or  fretted  away, 
without  a  thought  of  that  dark  cloud  so  soon 
to  descend  upon  her  life.  After  a  more  than 
ordinary  season  of  suffering  to  the  invalid,  she 
would  perhaps  groan  over  the  fate  that  kept 
Florry  tied  down  to  the  dull  little  house,  and 
wonder  why  she  was  singled  out  to  bear  the 
sick  girl's  fretful,  unreasoning  demands,  when 
she  had  spoiled  her  and  petted  her  from  baby 
hood  ;  but  no  idea  of  danger  ever  seemed  to 
cross  her  mind. 

Meta  was  thinking  of  all  this  as  she  indulged 
her  sorrowful  tears ;  for  Florry's  cough,  sounding 
so  hollow  and  wretched  through  the  small  house, 


THE   SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  287 

smote  her  heart  with  a  foreboding  of  heavier 
grief  than  even  these  battles  with  poverty  and 
lack  of  appreciation  had  brought.  Her  shoul 
ders  seemed  too  weak  for  the  burden  she  carried, 
and  the  future  looked  very  dark;  but,  as  she 
wept  on,  a  feeling  of  peace  that  had  not  followed 
her  most  earnest  prayers  stole  over  her  bowed 
heart.  "  When  through  the  deep  waters  I  call 
thee  to  go"  —  surely,  she  was  already  testing 
the  promise  in  the  midst  of  her  struggle  with 
the  waves  !  The  trust  in  God's  willingness  as 
well  as  power  to  give  strength  for  every  trial 
buoyed  her  up  now ;  a  consciousness  that,  be 
cause  she  did  not  need  grace  for  that  certain 
trouble  in  the  future  until  it  was  really  present, 
the  grace  was  withheld,  and  not  because  God's 
face  was  hidden  or  his  strength  denied.  A 
streak  of  light  from  the  setting  sun,  struggling 
with  the  great  brick  walls  around  her,  made  a 
glory  of  the  narrow  window,  and  streamed  into 
the  little  room,  penetrating  to  her  heart,  and  im 
parting  warmth  and  hope  where  all  had  been  so 
dismal  and  sorrowful  a  moment  before.  Press 
ing  her  face  against  the  window,  she  looked  ear 
nestly  upward  to  the  source  of  that  dying  sun- 
ray  that  had  so  brightened  the  gloomy  little  back 
yard  and  glorified  even  the  brick  walls.  Lost  in 
thought,  her  tearful  eyes  growing  brighter  as 


288  META    WALLACE,  OR 

her  musings  became  less  miserable,  she  was 
startled  by  a  hand  laid  suddenly  on  her  shoulder, 
as  Bridget's  cheery  voice  greeted  her. 

"  In  tears,  my  darlint  ?  Sure,  what  ails  my 
baby  now  ? " 

Meta  smiled  as  she  bade  the  old  nurse  wel 
come  and  drew  her  to  a  chair ;  then,  taking  a 
little  stool  at  her  feet,  she  laid  the  tired  head  on 
Bridget's  knee,  and  had  soon  unfolded  the  ex 
tent  of  her  troubles  —  her  difficulties  in  defray 
ing  the  household  expenses,  Florry's  increased 
languor  and  ill-health,  her  mother's  strange  ina 
bility  to  advise  and  assist  in  these  extremities, 
and  even  the  present  perplexity  of  making  her 
three  remaining  half-dollars  do  work  for  so  many 
days.  Bridget  listened  sympathizingly,  speak 
ing  an  encouraging  word  when  she  could,  and 
pressing  the  confiding  hand  when  there  was 
nothing  she  could  say ;  and  when  the  tale  was 
told,  she  whispered  hurriedly,  as  if  afraid  to  give 
her  favorite  time  for  reflection  : 

"  I've  a  matter  of  fifteen  dollars,  saved  against 
a  rainy  day,  Meta,  as  is  yours,  if  you'll  only  take 
it.  I  thought,  deary,  you  see,  it  was  very  pre- 
suming-like  for  me  to  never  look  for  sickness  to 
come,  and  I've  saved  it  by  little  against  the  ill 
times  —  " 

"  O  Bridget !  do  you  think  I  eould  do  this  ?  " 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  289 

interrupted  Meta,  kissing  the  hard,  rough  hand 
that  clasped  her  own.  "  No !  I  can't  take  your 
money,  kind,  dear  old  Bridget,  but  I  thank  you 
a  thousand,  thousand  times."  And,  greatly 
overcome  at  Bridget's  sympathizing  generosity, 
Meta  sobbed  from  very  thankfulness  of  heart. 

Bridget  urged  and  begged  in  vain,  assuring 
her  that  the  fifteen  dollars  was  something  quite 
out  of  her  own  reach,  as  she  had  laid  it  aside  in 
a  friend's  hands,  with  the  resolution  not  to  spend 
a  cent  of  it  on  herself  except  for  that  misty,  far- 
off  rainy  day.  Though  appreciating  the  motive, 
and  much  moved  at  the  delicacy  with  which  the 
entreaties  were  made,  Meta  very  courageously 
refused,  and  Bridget  went  away  with  a  sad 
heart. 

The  next  day,  as  Meta  stood  absently  turning 
over  Mr.  -Ascher's  ring  on  her  finger,  revolving 
the  question  whether  their  present  necessities 
released  her  from  her  promise  always  to  wear  it, 
and  half  ashamed  of  herself  for  allowing  the 
thought,  she  was  disturbed  by  a  summons  from 
her  mother,  who  had  something  to  show  her 
down-stairs.  Mrs.  Wallace  was  standing  at  the 
din  ing-table,  looking  over  a  large  parcel  that  had 
been  received  from  a  well-known  grocery  firm, 
and  very  much  perplexed  to  know  how  it  had 
been  purchased. 

'9 


2QO  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

"Did  you  ever  hear  of  such  a  thing,  Meta? 
—  tea  and  coffee,  loaf  sugar,  cheese,  crackers, 
even  sardines  and  pickles.  Who  on  earth  sent 
it?" 

At  the  first  glance,  Meta  was  quite  sure  that 
she  knew  the  donor,  and  her  eyes  filled  with 
tears  at  the  conviction  that  poor  Bridget's  fif 
teen  dollars  had  really  found  their  way  to  the 
house.  To  have  told  Mrs.  Wallace  this  would 
have  insured  the  rejection  of  every  article,  and 
the  certain  wounding  of  the  kind  woman's  feel 
ings,  who  had  so  generously  found  a  way  to 
help  her  darling  without  a  possibility  of  refusal ; 
so  Meta  was  forced  to  keep  her  convictions  to 
herself,  and  Mrs.  Wallace,  seeing  Florry's  delight 
at  some  of  the  delicacies,  persuaded  herself  that 
the  man  had  owed  Mr.  Wallace  some  money, 
and  was  ashamed  to  pay  it  back  in  any  other 
way.  Meta,  when  she  heard  this  solution  of  the 
mystery,  at  once  declared  that  she  suspected  the 
source  from  whence  it  came,  but  begged  so  ear 
nestly  not  to  be  asked  the  secret  that  her  mother 
did  not  press  the  question,  and  soon  other  cares 
absorbed  the  minor  perplexity. 

But  Meta  did  not  forget.  Bridget  was  over 
whelmed  with  reproachful  thanks  when  they 
met  again,  and  positively  forbidden  to  make  any 
further  purchases,  on  pain  of  betrayal  to  Mrs. 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  2QI 

Wallace.  Then  she  was  won  over,  by  caresses 
and  tears,  to  help  Meta  in  a  scheme  she  had  in 
view  for  the  improvement  of  home  affairs,  and 
soon  the  two  were  quite  interested  in  sundry 
small  parcels  that  went  backward  and  forward 
under  the  ample  folds  of  Bridget's  blanket 
shawl. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 


JEAN  came  to  New  York, 
and  was  soon  a  celebrity.  Even  Mrs. 
Wallace  condescended  to  be  gracious  to 
the  clever  old  Frenchman  who  took  such  an  in 
terest  in  her  daughter,  and  who  smilingly  assured 
her  that  Meta's  voice  was  something  quite  won 
derful  in  its  way.  The  consternation  of  her 
family  was  quite  amusing  at  the  first  practice 
insisted  on  by  the  professor,  even  without  the 
aid  of  a  piano.  The  rich  volume  of  voice  filled 
the  little  house  with  melody,  and  Monsieur  Jean 
clapped  his  hands  in  an  ecstasy  of  amused  de 
light  at  the  mother's  amazement.  Florry  was 
roused  from  her  habitual  indifference  to  such 
things,  and  made  quite  a  fuss  over  her  sister's 
wonderful  powers. 

"  Why,  mamma,  she  is  equal  to  that  French 
(292) 


THE   SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  2Q3 

singer  with  the  long  name,  isn't  she  ? "  cried 
Florry. 

Even  Edward  showed  more  respect  for  the 
"little  midge  of  a  thing;"  and  when  Monsieur 
Jean's  enthusiastic  musical  friends  were  brought 
to  hear  his  "  nightingale,"  as  he  called  her,  the 
family  delight  knew  no  bounds. 

At  first  Meta  was  much  encouraged  at  the 
praise  lavished  upon  her,  and  Monsieur's  assur 
ance  that  he  would  find  her  as  many  scholars  as 
she  wanted,  since  Mrs.  Wallace  utterly  refused, 
to  .his  great  discomfiture,  to  countenance  his 
pet  scheme  of  bringing  out  his  prot/g/e  at  some 
of  his  own  private  concerts. 

"  Why,  madame,"  he  said,  taking  a  big  pinch 
of  snuff  as  a  relief ;  "  you  stand  in  the  way  of 
Meta's  fame,  her  fortune." 

"  She  cannot  sing  at  your  concerts,  Monsieur. 
I  entirely  disapprove  of  such  things  for  so  young 
a  girl." 

For  once  Mrs.  Wallace  was  decided,  and 
Meta's  talent  was  thrown  in  other  channels. 

"  Hein  ! "  cried  Monsieur  to  one  of  his  friends. 
"  What  can  we  do  with  these  Americans  ?  That 
child  has  a  voice  to  bring  her  a  good  support. 
Well !  I  suppose  Madame  Wallace  too  proud. 
Such  folly  —  so  American  ! " 

But,  to  Monsieur's  greater  surprise,  Meta  en- 


294  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

tirely  sided  with  her  mamma,  and  assured  him  it 
was  not  pride,  but  an  entirely  resolute  principle, 
that  would  keep  her  from  singing  even  at  pri 
vate  concerts  at  her  age ;  and  Monsieur,  to  con 
sole  her  for  the  evident  disappointment  of  find 
ing  that  he  was  not  so  sure  of  scholars  as  he  was 
of  success  at  his  concerts,  gave  the  assurance 
that  he  would  find  as  many  as  she  wanted. 

But  time  passed,  and  no  scholars  came.  It 
was  extremely  difficult  to  persuade  people  that 
Meta  could  know  much  about  the  art ;  and 
though  a  few  good-natured  friends  of  the  pro 
fessor  promised  to  use  their  influence,  the  poor 
nightingale  waited  and  watched  in  vain,  finding 
it  best  to  abandon  hopes  of  helping  the  family 
by  her  voice,  and  going  back,  almost  reluctantly, 
to  the  sewing  she  procured  from  an  establish 
ment  for  infant  outfits,  through  her  faithful 
Bridget.  Meanwhile,  Monsieur  Jean  sent 
another  surprise  to  the  little  house  on  Bond 
street,  in  the  shape  of  a  pretty  piano,  which  he 
begged  Meta  might  be  allowed  to  accept.  The 
gift  created  quite  a  stir  in  the  household,  and  a 
diversity  of  opinion,  as  a  matter  of  course.  Meta 
was  filled  with  grateful  surprise,  and  Mrs.  Wal 
lace  inclined  to  allow  the  liberty ;  but  Florry 
was  very  indignant. 

"  What  does  the  old  fellow  mean  by  insulting 


THE  SEEN  AND    UNSEEN. 


us  ?  "  she  cried,  passionately.     "  Does  he  think 
we  are  paupers  ?  " 

"  If  he  does,  I'm  sure  he's  not  wide  of  the 
mark,"  sneered  Edward,  who  was  present. 
"You  women  never  think  of  anything  ra 
tional!" 

Here  followed  an  angry  discussion  of  several 
minutes,  and  the  brother,  out  of  patience  with 
Florry's  "high-flown  ideas,"  muttered  something 
about  sick  people  being  always  "  cranky." 

"  In  the  way  !  that's  what  you  mean  !  Never 
mind,!  won't  trouble  you  long." 

"  Edward,  how  could  you  ?  "  cried  Meta,  se 
verely,  as  Florry  sobbed  herself   into  a  fit  of  ' 
coughing. 

Edward  became  uneasy  and  ashamed  as  he 
saw  the  effect  of  the  quarrel.  The  blue  veins 
swelled  on  Florry's  transparent  brow,  and  when 
the  handkerchief  was  taken  from  her  lips,  and 
she  threw  herself  on  her  pillows,  exhausted, 
Meta  saw  that  it  was  streaked  with  blood.  She 
quietly  took  it  from  her  sister's  hand,  and  bathed 
the  flushed  face  tenderly.  Edward,  very  repent 
ant  and  miserable  —  for  he  too  had  seen  the  blood 
—  kissed  the  tears  from  the  beautiful  eyes  as  he 
begged  her  forgiveness  for  his  hasty  words. 
She  was  the  one  thing  he  really  loved  and  ad 
mired  in  life  ;  yet  even  to  her  his  unkindness 


296  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

was  often  as  frequent  as  to  those  to  whom  he 
was  perfectly  indifferent.  The  question  of  the 
piano  was  not  again  discussed,  and  it  was  duly 
accorded  the  place  of  honor  between  the  front 
windows ;  but  Meta's  pleasure  in  the  generous 
gift  was  sadly  marred  by  the  disturbance  it  had 
caused. 

One  day,  as  she  came  into  the  house,  after  a 
visit  to  Bridget,  who  had  not  been  able  to  secure 
the  regular  work  from  the  sewing  establishment, 
the  sound  of  low  sobbing  roused  her  from  an 
anxious  reverie  over  the  new  trouble.  Following 
the  sound,  she  went  hurriedly  into  the  parlor, 
where  Florry,  with  her  head  buried  in  the  sofa 
pillows,  was  in  a  state  of  violent  agitation  and 
grief. 

"  O  Florry,  what  is  it  ? "  asked  Meta,  anxiously, 
fearing  the  result  of  this  paroxysm. 
-  "  Mamma  is  out,"  sobbed  Florry,  "and  that 
hateful  Edward  has  been  frightening  me  to 
death,  saying  I  would  tempt  him  to  crime,  and 
he'd  commit  some  dreadful  act ;  and  all  because 
I  asked  him  for  some  of  Maillard's  chocolate. 
O  Meta  !  I  know  he  had  been  drinking  !  He 
could  scarcely  stand,  and  shook  his  fist  in  my 
face.  Oh,  I  wish  I  was  dead  and  out  of  every 
body's  way ! " 

Meta  took  one  of  the  delicate  hands  in  hers, 
and  pressed  it  gently. 


THE  SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  2Q/ 

"  Don't  say  that,  sister !  It  is  very  wicked  to 
utter  such  a  wish.  Edward  will  be  sorry  when 
he  knows  what  he  has  done.  God  help  us,  if  it 
has  come  to  this  !  " 

The  brave  heart  gave  way  at  this  sudden  con 
firmation  of  her  'fears  that  Edward  had  begun 
the  downward  road  ;  and,  to  Florry's  amazement 
and  distress,  her  stout-hearted  sister  laid  her 
weary  head  on  the  pillow,  and  cried  bitterly. 

"  Oh,  dear  !  "  she  said,  sighing ;  "  if  mamma 
would  only  come  home  !  If  you  are  going  to 
cry  too,  what  shall  I  do  ?  Poor  me  —  poor  me  !  " 
Then  the  cough  came  on  with  terrible  violence, 
and  the  blood-streaked  handkerchief  brought  ad 
ditional  terror  to  Meta's  heart,  as  she  held  the 
poor,  tired  frame  in  her  arms  when  it  was  over. 
Hands  with  her  work  to  do  had  no  time  for 
wiping  away  her  own  selfish  tears. 

A  few  hours  later  Edward  came  home,  his 
flushed  face  and  heated  breath  revealing  to  his 
astonished  mother  that  a  fearful  evil  indeed  had 
come  upon  them.  A  scene  of  angry  recrimina 
tion  followed,  which  sent  Meta  flying  up-stairs, 
to  cry  Ln  the  solitude  of  her  own  room,  and  to 
pray  for  strength  to  meet  this  new  trial. 
"  '  Though  He  slay  me,  yet  will  I  trust  in  him,'  " 
she  murmured  to  her  sinking  courage.  "  '  It  is 
I ;  be  not  afraid.'  "  Christ  had  stilled  fiercer 


398  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

tempests  than  these,  and  given  victory  in 
greater  conflicts.  Why  should  she  doubt  him 
now,  when  his  mercy  had  sustained  her  so  long  ? 
Having  sent  the  trial,  surely  the  solace  would" 
come  in  due  time,  when  his  design  was  worked 
out.  Trembling,  downcast,  fearful  of  sorrow 
in  store,  Faith  came  forth  triumphant  in  the 
struggle,  and  enabled  her  to  cry  out,  trust 
fully  :  " '  He  who  knows  me  best  shall  choose 
forme!"' 

From  this  time  an  almost  imperceptible 
change  came  over  Florry.  A  sadness  and  si 
lence  were  stealing  over  her  life,  and  she  had 
lost  some  of  the  fretful,  unreasoning  spirit  that 
had  made  it  so  hard  to  render  her  comfortable 
and  cheerful  in  this  life  of  new  habits  and  dep 
rivations.  Meta  often  sighed  to  see  her  turning 
over  the  laces  and  jewels  she  had  saved  from  the 
genera]  wreck,  brushing  the  dust  off  the  delicate 
fabrics,  and  laying  them  back  in  their  boxes, 
with  a  far-away  look  in  the  beautiful,  fading  eyes. 
This  change  brought  a  great  relief  to  the  sor 
rowful  young  watcher,  who  read  so  well  the 
doom  of  the  frail  loveliness  before  her,  as  she 
hoped  and  trusted  that  a  sense  of  what  awaited 
her  was  dawning  on  the  invalid's  mind,  and 
gradually  weaning  her  from  the  poor,  trivial, 
earthly  things  that  once  made  up  her  very  life. 


THE   SEEN  ^AND    UNSEEN. 


Yet  Florry  never  asked  sympathy,  nor  did  she 
reveal  what  was  passing  in  her  mind  during  the 
long,  sad  hours  of  weakness  and  loneliness  ;  so 
the  sister,  full  of  faith,  could  only  hope  on,  and 
pray. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

OURAGE,  faint  hearts!  the  darkest 
hour  is  truly  just  before  day !  However 
long  and  dreary  the  night-watches,  rosy 
dawn  is  stealing  on,  as  surely  as  the  midnight 
blackness  and  weariness  are  drifting  among  the 
shadows.  It  is  hard,  sometimes,  to  wait  in  pa 
tience,  and  to  believe  that,  beyond  the  impene 
trable  mists  that  blind  us  with  a  heavy  cloud, 
the  beautiful,  sunshiny  day  is  really  awaiting  us  ; 
but  it  is  even  so,  if  we  can  but  bide  His  time 
and  His  ways.  "  Blessed  are  they  who  have  not 
seen,  and  yet  have  believed." 

On  a  morning  when  Meta  felt  as  if  everything 
was  against  her;  when,  foot-sore  and  heart-sick, 
she  walked  wearily  through  the  busy  crowds, 
whose  very  energy  seemed  to  mock  her  ;  when 
the  work  that  Bridget  had  secured  could  no 
(3°°) 


THE  SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  30! 

longer  be  found,  and  home  trials  had  become 
grievous  to  bear,  the  mighty  Hand  in  which  she 
trusted  led  her  faltering  steps  into  paths  of 
pleasantness  and  peace. 

Overcome  at  the  thought  that  neither  music 
scholars  nor  work  could  be  found,  she  had  sud 
denly  remembered  Alice  Agneau,  and  resolved 
to  seek  her  old  school-friend,  and  beg  of  her  the 
sewing  she  could  not  obtain  elsewhere.  The 
thought  filled  her  with  hope ;  and  Alice's  enthu 
siastic  reception  and  eager  sympathy  when  the 
sorrows  were  told,  lifted  a  weight  off  the  anx 
ious  heart. 

"  Work  ?  "  cried  Alice,  when  she  would  admit 
the  necessity  of  her  dear  Meta's  sewing  for  her, 
"  work,  my  poor  darling  ?  Yes !  Papa  has  a 
dozen  shirts,  and  I  have,  dear  knows'  how  many 
dresses,  and  you  shall  do  them  all !  I  wish  I 
could  only  help  you,  really."  But  the  relieved 
Meta  assured  her,  with  grateful  tears,  that  she 
had  helped  her ;  and  then  they  cried,  girl-fash 
ion,  in  each  other's  arms,  and  old  Agneau  and 
Francois  made  up  a  huge  parcel  of  confection 
ery  for  Florence ;  and  Meta  went  on  her  way 
rejoicing. 

Alice,  true  to  her  promise,  provided  as  much 
sewing  as  her  friend  could  accomplish,  even  with 
the  utmost  diligence,  and  paid  extravagant  prices 


3<D2  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

for  every  article.  Meta'  doubted  whether  the 
sewing  was  really  of  such  value  ;  but  her  scru 
ples  gave  way  when  mamma  and  Florry,  whom 
she  had  won  over  to  the  arrangement  by  dexter 
ous  management,  "  guessed  it  was  all  right,  as 
they  had  paid  about  twice  as  much  to  the  dress 
makers."  So  the  matter  was  settled. 

One  day,  as  Meta  went  into  Agneau's  back 
room  with  one  of  her  bundles  of  work,  she  jos 
tled  against  a  gentleman  who  stood  at  the 
counter.  With  a  hurried  apology  she  went  on, 
and  transacted  her  business  with  Alice  satisfac 
torily.  On  reentering  the  store  and  stopping 
for  a  nice  morsel  for  Florry,  she  observed  the 
same  gentleman  at  the  counter;  only,  now,  he 
came  forward,  holding  out  both  hands,  and 
smiled  down  in  her  face. 

"  Don't  you  know  me  ? "  he  asked,  laughing. 

"  O  Mr.  Ascher!  is  it  you  ?" 

She  took  in  the  joyful  truth  with  one  glance, 
and  then  sank  into  a  chair,  covered  her  face 
with  her  hands,  and  cried  with  the  excess  of  joy 
that  filled  her.  Oh,  what  a  solace  to  her  per 
plexities  !  what  an  answer  to  her  prayers ! 

"  This  is  a  nice  greeting,"  said  Mr.  Ascher, 
tenderly  taking  her  hands  in  his.  "Why,  little 
one!  do  you  want  me  to  go  back  to  Palestine, 
that  you  weep  at  sight  of  my  old  gray  beard  ? " 


THE  SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  303 

Meta  looked  up,  smiling  and  sobbing  almost 
at  once. 

"  You  know  how  I  thank  God  for  bringing 
you  back  at  last !  That  is  why  I  cry  —  not  for 
grief.  '  Oh,  I  have  so  needed  your  friendship; 
and  now  —  " 

"  Come  !  let's  be  reasonable,  Meta.  I've  come, 
and  I  don't  intend  to  go  again  in  a  hurry! 
So,  dry  your  eyes,  and  let  us  walk  soberly  and 
rationally  homeward,  for  I  don't  fancy  relating 
my  adventures  just  here!  Stand  up,  and  let  me 
have  a  look  at  what  Time  has  made  of  you ! 
Bless  me  !  I  would  never  have  recognized  you, 
Meta !  Why,  there's  nothing  left  of  my  fat  little 
friend  but  her  eyes  !  " 

And  so,  with  kind  raillery,  Mr.  Ascher  drie4 
the  tears,  and  they  walked  out  to  the  corner  to 
hail  a  car,  as  happy  a  pair  as  the  great  city  held 
that  day.  On  the  homeward  ride,  Mr.  Ascher 
told  her  that  he  had  been  in  the  country  only 
a  few  weeks  ;  that  news  of  Mr.  Wallace's  death 
had  not  reached  him  until  just  before  he  left 
England;  that  he  had  learned  of  their  losses 
when  he  arrived  in  New  York,  and  had  endeav 
ored  to  find  out  their  abode ;  but  though  he 
made  every  effort,  so  busy  is  life's  whirl,  and  so 
changeful  are  summer  friends,  he  found  that  the 
Wallaces  had  dropped  out  of  people's  minds. 


304  META    WALLACE,  OR 

At  last  he  thought,  in  his  perplexity,  of  Meta's 
old  friend  Agneau ;  and  he  had  gone  into  the 
store  to  make  inquiries,  when  Meta's  entrance, 
and  old  Agneau's  muttered  mention  of  her  name 
in  his  polite  greeting,  had  suddenly  found  him 
what  he  sought. 

Great  was  the  surprise  in  Bond  street  when 
Meta  announced  the  visitor.  Never  had  guest 
more  earnest  welcome ;  even  Florry  sprang  up 
to  shake  hands,  and  loudly  expressed  her  joy, 
shocking  Mr.  Ascher  beyond  measure  by  the 
sight  of  her  excessive  frailness  and  the  terrible 
change  that  was  written  on  her  face.  A  long, 
earnest,  half-tearful,  half-joyful  interview  was 
held  in  the  little  parlor;  the  widow  recounting 
her  trials  to  the  sympathizing  listener,  and  filling 
him  with  a  generous  desire  to  share  with  the 
family  of  his  old  benefactor  the  wealth  that  had 
crowned  his  efforts.  Something  of  this  he  did 
urge ;  but  Mrs.  Wallace,  in  the  midst  of  her 
grateful  tears,  refused  to  listen  to  such  a  pro 
posal. 

"  Then  let  me  carry  out  my  original  plan,  and 
take  Meta  off  your  hands,"  he  persisted  ;  "  she 
will  be  one  less  to  provide  for." 

"  Meta  —  take  Meta !  "  cried  Florry,  hurriedly. 
"  No,  sir  !  she  cannot  be  spared  !  She  is  all  we 
have  to  rely  on ! " 


THE  SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  305 

"  One  less,  Mr.  Ascher  ? "  smiled  the  mother. 
"  '  A  house  divided  against  itself/  you  know ! 
Don't  ask  me  to  give  you  my  brave  little  woman 
just  now!  " 

There  was  an  infinite  tenderness  in  her  voice, 
that  brought  a  sweet  reward  for  Meta's  patient 
continuance  in  well-doing.  She  had  not  dreamed 
how  far  her  gentle,  silent,  Christian  spirit  had 
influenced  them  all,  and  the  glad  surprise  was 
all  too  much  for  her  composure. 

"  Are  we  to  be  deluged,  incorrigible  child  ? " 
asked  Mr.  Ascher,  tenderly,  as  he  took  her  hand. 
"Is  that  fountain  inexhaustible  ?  Come!  We've 
had  enough  of  weeping ;  beware,  lest  I  join  you 
myself !  Will  you  board  me,  Miss  House 
keeper  ? " 

"  I'll  think  about  it,"  she  said,  smiling,  "  if 
you  promise  not  to  smoke  in  the  parlor." 

"  Can't  I  have  one  pipe  a  day  ?  Remember, 
I've  been  in  the  land  of  Oriental  indulgence  in 
the  weed.  One  pipe  ?  —  is  it  a  bargain  ?  " 

And  so,  with  happy  jest,  in  the  midst  of  all 
this  thankful,  serious  joy,  the  first  day  of  happi 
ness  passed  away. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

,"  said  Mr.  Ascher,  suddenly,  after 
a    pause   in   one   of    their  long   talks, 
"  Meta,  what   was  done  with  your  fa 
ther's  papers  ? " 

"  They  were  given  into  the  executor's  hands  ; 
Mr.  Clay  has  charge  of  our  affairs,  you  know. 
Why  do  you  ask,  Mr.  Ascher  ? " 

"Why,  your  father  had  in  his  possession  a 
note  of  mine,  which  has  never  been  redeemed. 
There  was  an  understanding  between  us  on  the 
subject,  and  that  is  the  reason  I  gave  myself  no 
concern  until  I  discovered  the  extent  of  your 
losses.  Surely,  if  Mr.  Clay  has  possession  of 
the  note,  he  has  been  very  negligent  not  to  pre 
sent  the  claim,  especially  when  he  knows  your 
straits.  What  is  the  matter,  child  ?  " 
"  Did  papa  never  write  to  you  for  another 
1306) 


THE  SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  307 

note  ? "  she  asked,  in  a  low  voice ;  old  events 
coming  back  in  full  force  for  the  first  time  in 
years. 

"  Write  for  another  ?  No  !  why  should  he 
have  written  ? " 

"  Because  "  —  after  a  slight  pause  — "  because 
that  paper  was  destroyed  very  long  ago." 

"  Your  father's  careless  handling,  I  suppose  ! 
Who  destroyed  it  ?  and  how  did  it  happen  that 
I  never  heard  of  the  loss  ?  " 

"  O  Mr.  Ascher !  please  don't  laugh  at  me " 
—  in  a  distressed  voice — "but  I  chewed  it 
up  and  swallowed  it !  " 

"  Chewed  it  up !  swallowed  it,  eh  !  This  is  a 
pretty  piece  of  business,  indeed.  Come,  Meta ! 
out  with  your  story  !  How  did  it  happen  ? " 

In  a  mortified  tone  she  related  the  circum 
stance  so  long  forgotten,  and  sighed  out,  in  con 
elusion  : 

"  Papa  promised  me  he  would  write  to  you  foj 
another  —  " 

"  But  he  never  did,  my  dear,  and  you  haven'1 
a  shadow  of  proof  that  I  owe  it ;  have  you, 
now  ? " 

"  No,  sir,  I  have  not "  —  with  a  surprised  look 
in  his  face. 

The  eyes,  sparkling  with  mirth,  turned  away 
from  her  earnest,  shocked  glance,  as  he  an 
swered  : 


3O8  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

"  Not  a  shadow  of  proof,  my  young  financier. 
You  have  quietly  eaten  five  thousand  dollars, 
with  twenty  years'  interest  added  —  " 

Meta  groaned,  despairingly. 

"  Now,  that  would  be  very  funny,  if  you  had 
it  to  spare;  but  as  Florry  is  sick  and  your 
mother  quite  poor,  I  call  that  an  extravagant, 
indigestible  meal !  Come !  What  do  you  say  ? " 

"I  call  —  you — a  cruel,  cruel  friend,"  she 
cried,  sobbing. 

"  Another  deluge  ?  I'll  have  to  go  down  town 
and  buy  me  the  biggest  '  Noah's  Ark '  in  the 
city !  Hold  up  your  head,  and  let  me  tell  you 
what  I  shall  have  to  do.  Won't  hold  it  up,  eh  ? 
.Obstinate  little  gourmand,  little  cannibal  —  " 

Meta  looked  up,  and  saw  a  face  absolutely 
sparkling  with  merriment.  He  looked  at  her, 
laughing  heartily,  and  then  continued  : 

"  I  am  going  to  deposit  that  money  to  your 
credit,  to-morrow,  in  the  Bank  of  New  York  ; 
every  cent  of  it  is  yours,  my  little  Meta." 

"  Mine  ?     You  mean  mamma's,  Mr.  Ascher." 

"  No,  I  mean  yours.  Your  father  advanced 
me  a  loan  of  ten  thousand  dollars  when  I  started 
business  for  myself  in  the  West,  which  was  to 
bear  interest  from  the  date  of  loan,  and  to  be 
repaid  at  any  time  that  suited  me  best.  At  the 
end  of  five  years  I  offered  to  pay  the  whole 


THE   SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  309 

amount ;  but  your  father,  who  was  always  gener 
ous,  discovered  that  should  I  do  so  my  business 
would  be  greatly  hampered,  and  we  then  com 
promised  by  the  payment  of  half,  and  by  mak 
ing  a  new  note,  payable  on  demand,  for  the  bal 
ance.  He  was  anxious  to  give  me  the  sum,  from 
a  kind  recklessness  in  money  affairs  and  a  sin 
cere  interest  in  my  success ;  but  this  I  of  course 
refused.  After  considerable  parley,  your  father 
laughingly  proposed  that  you  —  who  were  then 
an  infant,  whom  I  had  just  been  fondling  and 
playing  with  —  should  be  heiress  of  the  amount ; 
and  he  made  out,  on  the  spur  of  the  moment, 
the  new  bond.  '  If,  in  the  strange  transitions  of 
life,  my  future  fails,'  he  said,  lightly,  'let  my 
little  daughter  there  take  the  money ;  if  I  out 
live  you,  why,  it  stands  as  it  is.'  " 

"  Oh  ! "  cried  Meta,  drawing  a  long  breath. 
"  You  may  well  say,  '  Oh  ! '  Suppose  I  had 
died,  and  all  I  have  had  gone  to  my  distant  kith 
and  kin,  and  that  Florry  had  languished  and 
your  mother  suffered  because  you  possessed  an 
unheard-of  appetite  for  negotiable  notes." 

"  I     think    you    are    laughing    at    me,    Mr. 
Ascher." 

"  Or  suppose  I  was  not  an  honest  man." 
"  I  cannot  suppose  that,  you  know." 
"  Well !  suppose  you  come  over  here,  and  let 
me  look  in  your  eyes  while  I  tell  you  a  story." 


3IO  META    WALLACE,  OR 

"  I  can  do  that,  easily,"  she  said,  rising,  with 
a  smile. 

"  Meta,  do  you  think  I  owe  you  nothing  beside 
that  debt  ?  " 

"  Nothing,  sir,  but  friendship !     What  else  ? " 

"Child,  do  you  know  what  I  have  found  in 
my  wanderings  these  weary  years  ?  I  have 
found  that  God  whom  I  did  not  seek  in  the  days 
of  my  youth.  Do  you  remember  a  timid  little 
voice  whispering,  '  Mr.  Ascher,  won't  you  try 
to  love  God,  just  a  little  ? '  I  fiave  been  trying 
ever  since,  dear  Meta ;  and,  thanks  be  to  God,  I 
have  gotten  me  the  victory,  through  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ !  " 

Meta  could  not  answer,  for  her  joy  was  great ; 
but  she  timidly  laid  her  soft  hand  on  the  gray 
hairs,  and  prayed  in  her  heart  of  hearts  that  God 
might  bless  the  good  man,  whose  friendship  was 
such  a  privilege  and  a  blessing  to  her  life. 

"  And  how  was  your  promise  kept,  my  little 
one  ?  Is  the  ring  still  worn  ? " 

Meta  held  .out  her  hand,  and  pointed  lovingly 
to  the  plain  circlet. 

"  So,  you  have  not  failed  me,  child  !  God  has 
watched  between  me  and  thee,  and  has  blessed 
our  friendship  through  distance  and  time.  We 
are  treading  the  same  path  in  our  pilgrimage  — 
4  the  ways,  they  are  many,  the  end,  it  is  one ! ' 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  31  I 

You  in  your  sweet,  youthful  freshness,  and  I  in 
my  gray  hairs,  from  out  the  '  kingdoms  of  the 
world/  have  still  the  same  ambition  —  to  run 
with  patience  the  race  that  is  set  before  us, 
striving  to  obtain  the  prize." 

"  So,  it  seems  you're  an  heiress,  in  a  weak 
way,  Miss  Sobersides,"  said  Edward,  good-hu- 
moredly,  when  Mr.  Ascher  had  succeeded  in 
convincing  the  assembled  family  that  he  really 
owed  Meta  a  considerable  sum,  and  was  not 
using  this  as  an  excuse  for  assisting  them. 
"Well,  little  sis,  don't  put  on  airs  because  your 
estates  in  the  moon  have  turned  out  so  well. 
Come  !  won't  you  help  a  fellow  pay  his  club 
fee  ? " 

"  I  shall  turn  my  fortune  over  to  mamma,  of 
course,"  said  Meta,  laughing,  "  and  she  .can  de 
vise  a  punishment  for  my  fortunate  meal  at 
Bellevue." 

"  O  mamma  and  Meta !  "  cried  Florry,  clap 
ping  her  hands,  "  let  us  go  away  where  I  can 
hear  the  birds  sing  and  see  the  flowers !  We 
have  money,  now,  to  take  us,  and  I  am  so  tired 
of  my  life  between  brick  walls  ! " 

"  Hear  the  birds  sing !  "  "  See  the  flowers  !  " 
—  was  it  possible  Florry  craved  these  things  ? 
Mrs.  Wallace  and  Meta  exchanged  sorrowful 
glances. 


312  AfETA    WALLACE,  OR 

"  Please  take  me  away,"  continued  the  sick 
girl,  earnestly.  "  I  shall  never  go  out  again, 
here.  My  dresses  are  all  too  large  for  me ;  I 
folded  them  in  the  big  trunk,  up-stairs,  long  ago. 
Meta,  those  pretty  Valenciennes  laces  are  there, 
too ;  you  can  have  them,  only  you  don't  care 
about  dress." 

"  Florry,  what  can  you  mean,  darling  ?  "  cried 
Mrs.  Wallace,  soothingly.  "  Don't  give  away 
your  laces." 

"  O  mamma,  mamma !  are  you  blind  ?  I  have 
long  seen  how  it  would  be,  and  felt  sure  of  it  in 
my  heart.  I  shall  never  wear  laces  again.  I 
can  never  go  to  balls  and  operas  with  Meta's 
money.  My  silks  hang  on  me  as  if  I  were  a 
skeleton,  and  Meta  must  wear  them  all !  "• 
Florry  buried  her  face  in  her  mother's  lap,  and 
sobbed  bitterly. 

"  You  will  break  my  heart  if  you  talk  so,  dar 
ling,"  said  the  mother,  brokenly.  "  We  will  take 
you  to  some  watering-place,  if  you  desire  the 
country  —  " 

"  Oh,  no  !  I  mean  the  real,  quiet  country, 
mamma;  not  one  of  those  stifling,  crowded 
places.  I  don't  want  gayety ;  I  shall  never 
dance  again.  I  hate  the  very  sight  of  my  beau 
tiful  clothes  and  my  little  satin  slippers.  O 
Meta,  darling,  teach  me  how  you  learned  to  care 


THE   SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  313 

for  other  things  than  these,  for  there  is  nothing 
left  me  but  to  learn  how  to  die  ! " 

Meta  took  the  hands,  so  piteously  outstretched, 
and  tried,  through  her  tears,  to  soothe  the  wild 
outburst  of  grief  and  fear  that  followed  Florry's 
speech.  To  deny  the  truth  of  what  she  had 
said  would  be  cruel  and  useless.  She  could 
only  lift  her  heart  in  silent  prayer  for  grace  to 
help  and  comfort  the  sorrowful  soul  that  had 
come  to  a  full  knowledge  of  its  fate. 

"  Do  you  remember,"  said  her  sister,  after  a 
pause  — "  do  you  remember  the  book  we  cried 
over  last  winter  ?  I  can  never  forget  the  awe 
that  came  over  me  as  you  read  of  that  dead  girl 
with  '  worms  busy  at  her  fairness.'  Can  I  ever 
think  of  that  without  shuddering,  Meta  ?  Oh, 
is  my  beauty  fit  only  for  this  ? " 

Mrs.  Wallace  tried  to  put  a  stop  to  the  scene, 
but  Florry's  agitation  could  not  be  suppressed. 
A  violent  coughing  spell  ensued,  and  the  life- 
tide  poured  in  a  red  stream  from  the  pallid  lips. 

"  Never  mind,"  said  Florry,  faintly ;'  "  this  is 
not  the  first  time.  Poor  mamma!" 

The  tired  eyelids  closed  wearily,  and  a  faint 
ing  fit  of  alarming  length  terrified  the  little 
household  into  a  sudden  realization  that  the  dark 
cloud,  so  long  threatening,  was  nearer  than  they 
supposed. 


314  AT  ETA    WALLACE,  OR 

Mrs.  Wallace  was  overwhelmed  at  the  magni 
tude  and  certainty  of  the  sorrow  awaiting  her, 
as  she  sat  all  through  that  long  night  at  her 
daughter's  side.  Wild,  rebellious  murmurs 
filled  her  heart ;  for  Florry  was  her  idol,  her 
pride,  her  precious  jewel  above  price.  She  had 
forgotten  the  injunction,  or  rather,  it  fell  on 
deaf  ears :  "  Little  children,  keep  yourselves 
from  idols." 

For  days  Florence  kept  her  bed,  clinging 
with  a  childlike  confidence  to  Meta,  listening 
with  eagerness  to  the  low  words  of  comfort  and 
faith  that  came  from  the  depths  of  a  sorrowful 
yet  thankful  heart.  All  the  old  contempt  was 
forgotten  ;  Florry  seemed  to  realize  with  desper 
ate  earnestness  that  she  had  no  time  to  deal 
with  life's  trivialities,  and  her  fretful,  repining 
spirit  was  wonderfully  subdued.  A  very  babe 
in  religion,  she  grasped  at  the  mysterious  truths 
of  immortality  with  a  feverish  energy  that 
proved  how  readily  she  appreciated  the  folly  of 
all  earthly  creeds  when  the  battle  with  life  and 
death  was  in  truth  before  her.  The  "  new  body" 
which  had  so  seized  on  Meta's  childish  imagina 
tion  made  a  deep  impression  upon  her  sister, 
who  listened  with  dilating  eyes  to  the  exposition 
of  that  glorious  future  that  awaited  the  mortal 
putting  on  immortality.  Calling  Meta  to  her 


THE   SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  315 

one  night,  as  she  was  preparing  to  retire,  Florry 
whispered,  lovingly : 

"  You  are  a  dear  little  comforter,  God  bless 
you  !  There  !  don't  cry!  you'll  make  me  cough  ; 
and  I  feel  better  than  I  have  done  for  days. 
Good-night,  darling!  Why,  your  cheek  is  all 
wet !  Don't  cry  for  me,  Meta.  You  deserve  to 
live,  and  -I  have  frittered  away  all  my  time. 
There !  I  can't  talk,  now." 

Meta  went  to  her  couch  that  night  with  a 
thankful  heart.  She  was  beginning  to  see 
"  fields  white  unto  the  harvest,"  and  could  thank 
God  for  her  sure  belief  in  the  promise,  "  In  due 
time  ye  shall  reap,  if  ye  faint  not." 

As  soon  as  Florry's  strength  rallied,  after  the 
hemorrhage,  her  longing  for  country  sights  and 
sounds  was  gratified.  Mr.  Ascher  rented  for 
Mrs.  Wallace  a  pretty  country  residence,  filled 
it  with  many  little  comforts  beyond  their  means, 
and  superintended  the  move  from  the  city, 
which,  by  easy  stages,  was  safely  accomplished. 
With  the  strange  variableness  of  her  disease, 
Florry  rallied  wonderfully  for  awhile,  taking  so 
much  interest  in  the  birds  and  flowers  provided 
by  Mr.  Ascher's  thoughtfulness,  and  seeming  so 
thoroughly  to  enjoy  the  sweet,  pure  atmosphere 
that  filled  her  with  renewed  life,  that  Mrs.  Wal 
lace's  fears  subsided,  and  she  allowed  herself  to 


3l6  MET  A    WALLACE. 

be  deluded  with  false  hopes ;  while  the  rest  saw 
too  well  that  the  end  was  only  postponed  for 
a  time,  and  the  sentence  as  unchanging  as 
the  sun. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

RIDGET  had  overcome  Meta's  scruples 
in  regard  to  paying  her  smaller  wages 
than  she  had  been  receiving,  and  had 
left  her  good  place  in  the  city,  in  order  to  as 
sist  her  young  mistress  in  the  trying  times  her 
watchful  love  had  foreseen  for  the  future. 
Mrs.  Wallace  very  gladly  accepted  her  ser 
vices,  and,  leaving  all  household  arrangements 
to  Meta,  never  knew  of  the  sacrifice  the  good 
Irishwoman  had  made  to  accompany  them  to 
Rose  Cottage,  in  Westchester.  Florry  took  a 
wonderful  fancy  to  Bridget's  ministering.  No 
one  knew  better  how  to  shake  up  and  smooth 
the  snowy  pillows,  or  to  lift  the  weak  frame  from 
sofa  to  bed  ;  and  the  invalid  fancied  that  no  but 
tered  toast  or  poached  egg  compared  with  those 
compounded  in  "  real  Irish  style,  honey,"  as 

(317) 


318  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

Bridget  invariably  informed  her.  The  relief  to 
Meta  was  intense  when  her  faithful  nurse  took, 
by  degrees,  the  heavy  responsibility  of  house 
keeping  off  her  young  shoulders,  leaving  her 
time  to  devote  to  reading  and  talking  to  Florry. 

The  invalid's  room  was  the  family  resort. 
There  Mr.  Ascher,  when  he  came  up  from  the 
city  every  night,  brought  his  cheerful  face  and 
merry  talk  to  cheer  the  languid  girl,  telling  her 
all  the  bright,  interesting  incidents  of  his  day, 
laying  his  nightly  tribute  of  choice  flowers  and 
fruits  on  her  little  table,  and  being  so  consider 
ate  and  loving  that  his  presence  became  neces 
sary  to  her  comfort. 

Monsieur  Jean,  too,  took  great  interest  in  his 
friends,  and  would  spend  his  Saturday's  leisure 
at  the  cottage ;  amusing  Florry  with  his  queer 
kindliness,  always  bringing  a  goodly  supply  of 
bon-bons,  and  affording  her  many  hours  of  exqui 
site  pleasure  by  drawing /orth  sweet  sounds  from 
Meta's  piano.  Beethoven's  inspired  harmonies 
were  Florry's  chief  joy  at  twilight,  and  the  old 
professor,  delighted  to  find  his  favorite  so  rever 
enced,  would  sit  at  the  piano  in  the  dim  light, 
reveling  in  the  magnificent  Septuor,  or  the 
sweet  minor  strains  of  some  of  the  symphonies, 
till  the  very  air  seemed  purified  and  impreg 
nated  with  the  melody. 


THE   SEEN  AND   UNSEEN. 


319 


Edward,  still  out  of  employment,  had  taken  a 
wonderful  fancy  for  farming,  entirely  on  a  theo 
retic  plan  of  his  own,  and  turned  the  few  acres 
belonging  to  the  cottage  into  his  field  of  opera 
tions.  He  had  persuaded  himself  that  this  was 
his  long  undiscovered  "  forte,"  and  that  he  was 
destined  to  reveal  the  wonders  of  untried  genius 
to  an  admiring  world. 

"  You  shall  wear  your  silks  and  diamonds  yet, 
my  beautiful  Flora  ! "  he  said,  confidently,  to  his 
sister,  one  day,  after  unfolding  some  wonderful 
scheme  for  benefiting  agricultural  science.  "  We 
will  see  you  as  regal  as  ever  before  the  world, 
my  queen ! " 

Florence  shook  her  head  sadly  as  Meta  signed 
to  Edward  to  stop. 

"  Speak  to  him,  Meta,"  she  said,  wearily ; 
"  tell  him  I  can  never  wear  gems  again.  He 
doesn't  understand  that  my  place  is  under  the 
flowers  —  so  soon  —  so  soon,  too  ! " 

"  Poor  Flora ! "  cried  Edward,  stroking  her 
hair  a  moment,  and  then  suddenly  leaving  the 
room. 

"  O  Meta,  Meta,"  sobbed  Florence  on  her  sis 
ter's  shoulder,  "  don't  let  him  talk  to  me  so 
again  !  Don't  let  me  ever  begin  to  think  of  the 
possibility  of  going  out  again  !  It  can  never, 
never  be." 


32O  META    WALLACE,  OR 

11  Do  you  think,  Bridget,  that  any  one  ever 
wanted  to  die  ? "  asked  Florry,  one  evening,  of 
her  kind  attendant,  when  the  rest  were  at  tea. 
"  Do  you  believe  I  will  really  long  to  go,  as 
Johnny  did  ?" 

"  Maybe  not  —  maybe  not,  deary ;  it's  not  I 
as  can  say  that !  Your  cough  is  bad  and  your 
frame  is  weak,  but  you  haven't  like  the  same 
pains  with  my  boy,  and  the  blessed  rest  doesn't 
seem  as  wishful  to  ye,  perhaps  ;  but  you're  not 
for  living  always  so  helpless  and  suffering,  my 
poor  lamb  ? " 

"  Oh,  no,"  answered  Florry,  calmly ;  "  I  know 
I  can  never  be  strong  again,  and  I  feel  no  desire 
to  live,  now.  But  I  was  afraid  I  ought  to  want 
to  die  ever  so  much,  you  know,  Bridget,  and  I 
am  not  good  enough  for  that,  yet  —  " 

"  God  gives  us  that  strength,  sure,  when  it's 
needed,"  interrupted  Bridget,  eagerly  ;  "  don't 
go  for  worrying  yourself  with  the  like.  He 
promises  to  make  all  our  bed  in  our  sick 
ness —  " 

"  Yes,  I  know ;  it  wasn't  that,"  said  Florry,  a 
new  light  stealing  into  the  beautiful  dark  eyes. 
"  I  know  I  am  not  afraid  any  more,  because 
Meta  has  made  me  see  that  I  shall  surely  be  sus 
tained,  and  when  He  bids  me  go  through  the 
deep. waters,  His  love  will  keep  me  from  dread 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN. 


and  danger!  Only,  Bridget,  I  know  mamma 
will  grieve  so  bitterly,  and  she  is  so  blind  to  it 
all.  She  thinks  that  my  improvement  here  is 
so  encouraging,  and  cannot  believe  —  what  I 
feel  so  sure  of  —  that  it  is  only  the  dying  flutter 
of  the  candle,  so  soon  to  go  out  in  darkness. 
This  is  what  perplexes  me,  and  makes  me  won 
der  if  I  can  ever  really  desire  to  give  her  so 
much  sorrow  and  suffering." 

"  Nay,  poor  lamb,  it's  not  in  your  own  hands," 
said  Bridget,  wiping  her  eyes  ;  "  the  blow  comes 
from  far  above  us,  and  she  must  e'en  bear  it. 
I  trust  her  eyes  will  be  opened,  my  darlint,  to 
many  a  beautiful  thing.  Sure,  it'll  be  hard  for 
her  to  keep  her  thoughts  away  from  heaven,  an' 
ye  there,  her  jewel,  her  treasure." 

"  Oh,  I  trust  so,"  sighed  the  sick  girl.  "  It 
would  be  a  great  grief  to  me  to  feel  that  poor 
mamma  will  always  live  the  old  life;  and  if  my 
going  will  help  her,  as  God  in  his  mercy  has 
helped  me  to  see  the  nothingness  and  vanity  of 
my  years  wasted,  I  would  not  feel  a  pang  in 
parting,  for  I  know  that  it  is  not  forever." 

One  evening  in  early  spring,  a  party  gathered 
in  the  sick-room  for  the  last  time.  Softly  and 
tenderly  Death  laid  his  hand  on  the  snowy  fore 
head,  and  was  stealing  the  light  from  the  beau- 


322  META    WALLACE,  OR 

tiful  eyes.  Florence  was  spared  the  suffering 
and  pain,  at  the  last,  of  most  consumptives,  and, 
though  the  paroxysms  of  coughing  were  distress 
ing  to  the  sorrowing  group  gathered  around  her 
couch,  they  seemed  scarcely  to  affect  the  tran 
quil,  peaceful  expression  on  her  lovely  face. 
She  was  going  forth  on  the  dark  journey,  safe 
with  that  "  rod  and  staff "  she  had  grasped  in 
undoubting  faith; 

"Christ  my  righteousness,"  she  murmured, 
fixing  her  fading  eyes  on  her  mother's  face.  "  O 
mamma  — Edward  —  believe  ! " 

That  was  all  for  a  long  time,  as  the  watchers 
wept  and  prayed.  She  was  so  still,  the  faint 
breath  scarcely  stirring  the  linen  on  her  breast, 
that  Mrs.  Wallace,  with  a  cry  of  agony,  bent  her 
ear  to  the  parted  lips. 

"  He  giveth  the  victory,"  came  tremblingly, 
feebly  to  the  mother's  ear ;  "  mamma,  do  not  re 
ject —  "  Then,  as  if  new  strength  had  come  to 
the  parting  spirit,  the  voice  grew  clearer  and  tri 
umphant  as  she  cried,  " '  O  Death,  where  is  thy 
sting  ? '  "  and,  drooping  her  head  on  Meta's 
shoulder,  like  a  tired  child,  sank  to  rest.  A  fee 
ble  flutter  of  breath  —  a  pressure  of  the  hand  — 
and  the  long  lashes  shut  out  the  light  of  those 
beautiful  eyes  forever. 

Days  of  wretchedness  to  the  bereaved  mother 


THE  SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  323 

followed  on  Florry's  death.  Locking  herself 
away  from  all  sympathy,  refusing  even  neces 
sary  food,  she  met  the  greatest  shock  of  her  life 
with  no  solace  beyond  the  world ;  and  what  was 
the  world  to  her  now  ?  In  Florry  had  been  cen 
tered  all  her  ambitious  hopes.  She  had  never 
allowed  herself  to  believe  that  her  beautiful 
child  must  surely  die,  and  the  obstinate  eyes 
refused  to  see,  until  Death  had  entered  the 
household  and  covered  her  idol  with  the  shadow 
of  his  wing. 

For  though  we  dare  to  dream,  in  human  pride, 
Our  idols  from  His  knowledge  we  can  hide, 
He  will  not  of  his  worship  be  denied. 

Though  for  a  time  He  grants  our  mad  desire 
To  live  'mid  human  joys,  nor  seek  the  higher, 
The  purging  comes  at  last  —  and  comes  by  fire. 

Cherish  thy  earthly  ties  —  yea,  guard  them  well  — 
But  leave  thy  Maker,  still,  a  place  to  dwell 
Unsullied  and  unshared  by  earthly  spell. 

Else  blessing  in  thy  love  thou  seek'st  in  vain ; 
He  will  not  leave  thy  heart  unpurged  with  pain ; 
Erect  no  idol  where  thy  God  should  reign. 

Bridget's  loving  sympathy  and  Mr.  Ascher's 
tender  watchfulness  were  Meta's  comfort  when 
Mrs.  Wallace,  shutting  herself  away  to  her  sor 
row,  as  "  one  without  hope,"  left  *to  her  young 
daughter  all  the  sad  care  of  the  beloved  dead. 


324  META    WALLACE,  OR 

But  that  inner  strength  that  made  her,  though 
"  sorrowful,  yet  alway  rejoicing,"  the  mercy  in 
which  she  had  trusted  supplied  in  her  time  of 
trial.  Florence's  peaceful  death,  giving  sure 
hope  of  a  blessed  future,  was  surely  too  great 
a  source  of  thankfulness  for  her  not  to  bear 
the  bitter  sting  with  patience.  The  wonderful 
change  in  her  gay,  thoughtless  nature,  and  the 
happy  faith  so  graciously  vouchsafed  when  at 
first  it  seemed  so  impossible  to  impress  the 
self-indulgent  spirit,  filled  Meta's  heart  with 
gratitude  unspeakable  for  the  first-fruits  of  her 
sowing  of  precious  seed. 

Edward  was  greatly  affected  by  his  sjster's 
death.  Coming  to  Meta,  several  weeks  after 
the  event,  he  said,  pointing  upward,  as  he  always 
did  when  speaking  of  the  dead  : 

"  Sis,  what  did  she  mean  ?  I've  just  been 
putting  some  of  her  favorite  daisies  on  her 
grave,  and  I  suddenly  remembered  what  she  had 
said  that  dreadful  night.  You  understand  ?  " 

"Yes,"  replied  Meta,  gravely;  "but,  dear  Ed 
ward,  I  hoped  you  had  not  forgotten  so  soon  —  " 

"  Don't  preach,"  interrupted  her  brother,  im 
patiently  ;  "  I  don't  pretend  to  be  a  saint  yet. 
Just  tell  me  up  and  down  what  Florry  meant  by 
telling  me  to  believe;  for,  if  I  can  do  as  she 
wanted  me  to,  why,  I  will — that's  all!  I  tell 


THE  SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  325 

you  what,  old  lady,  I  never  could  listen  to  your 
sobersided  lectures ;  but  Florry's  a  different  per 
son.  If  she  could  find  it  so  easy  to  die  —  my 
poor  little  beauty  !  —  why,  I'd  like  to  know  how 
to  carry  out  her  wishes.  Bless  her  sweet  face  ! 
how  I  loved  that  little  sister !  I  don't  believe  I 
care  much  whether  I  succeed  or  not,  now." 

Edward's  eyes  glistened  as  he  abruptly  turned 
away,  too  full  of  grief  to  say  more. 

Meta  did  not  neglect  to  work  upon  the  first 
faint  desires  to  follow  Florry's  advice  that  had 
sprung  up  in  her  brother's  heart,  but,  as  one 
touching  on  hallowed  ground,  undertook  the 
new  mission  humbly.  Oh,  if  she  might  be  per 
mitted  to  "  strengthen  the  brethren  !  "  She  was 
finding  work  enough  for  the  willing  heart  as  she 
toiled  in  the  Master's  vineyard,  nothing  doubt 
ing  that  the  harvest  was  in  store. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

IVE  years  of  varied  experience,  of  sun 
shine  and  shadow,  sickness  and  health, 
sorrow  and  joy,  have  passed  over  Meta's 
sunny  head,  but  the  trusting,  earnest,  faithful 
heart  is  unchanged.  The  child  has  developed 
into  the  thoughtful  Christian  woman ;  but  time 
has  not  marred  the  beautiful  promise  of  youth, 
nor  the  world  stifled  the  noble  aspirations  and 
firm-rooted  principles  of  faith.  There  is  no  in 
fluence  more  silently  exerted  or  more  potent  than 
that  of  Christian  example — unanswerably  prov 
ing  the  weakness  of  the  scoffer's  creed,  and  ex 
hibiting  the  precious  ornament  of  a  "  meek  and 
quiet  spirit,"  against  all  the  contradictions  and 
disappointments  of  life,  which  in  itself  proves 
the  strength  of  that  Power  that  sustains  and 
guides. 
(326) 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  327 

In  the  pretty  sunshiny  parlor  at  Rose  Cottage, 
surrounded  by  comforts  and  refinements  almost 
equal  to  the  old  life,  Mrs.  Wallace  sits  in  her 
easy-chair,  with  an  open  volume  in  her  lap. 
But  her  eyes  have  wandered  from  the  page  be 
fore  her,  out  from  the  lace-draped  windows, 
across  the  bright  flowers  and  waving  trees  of 
their  pretty  garden,  to  a  spot  far  off  in  the  cor 
ner  of  the  little  iron-railed  plot  where  her  dar 
ling  sleeps — the  spot  that  holds  at  once  her 
greatest  earthly  grief  and  most  blessed  joy  — 
where  her  thoughts  are  always  wandering  so 
yearningly,  while  her  hands  take  up  the  daily 
tasks  they  have  found  to  do.  Years  have 
wrought  a  merciful  change  in  the  haughty  spirit, 
and  Florry's  early  death  was  not  in  vain.  The 
faith  that  lighted  up  those  dying  eyes,  and 
changed  the  nervous,  frightened  invalid,  shud 
dering  at  thought  of  death  and  the  worms,  to 
the  triumphant,  hopeful  Christian,  has  never 
been  forgotten,  nor  failed  to  awaken  a  longing 
after  things  unseen,  which  are  eternal.  God 
sends  his  Holy  Spirit  to  create  and  to  help 
these  feebly-shooting  seeds  of  Christian  faith, 
and  never  leaves  the  earnest  desire  to  die  out, 
unaided,  in  its  search  after  light.  He  who  will 
"  neither  break  the  bruised  reed  nor  quench  the 
smoking  flax  "  requires  nothing  impossible  of  his 


328  META    WALLACE,  OR 

children ;  and  if  we  grieve  when  he  takes  from 
us  our  dearest  joys,  he  does  not  leave  us  com 
fortless,  but  makes  of  our  sorrow  a  source  of 
spiritual  good,  and  brings  forth  from  the  depths 
of  humiliation  the  brightest  fruits  of  righteous 
ness  and  peace. 

The  short  summer  afternoon  was  almost  over, 
and  Florry's  grave  in  the  garden  was  losing  it 
self  in  shadows,  when  Mrs.  Wallace,  turning 
sadly  from  the  window,  felt  a  tender  hand  on  her 
own.  Starting  at  the  sudden  interruption  to  her 
reverie,  she  made  an  exclamation  of  surprise. 

"  It's  only  I,  mamma,"  cried  Meta,  laughing  ; 
"  have  I  frightened  you  ?  Mr.  Ascher  insisted 
I  should  run  ahead  of  him  to  announce  his  ar 
rival,  and,  seeing  you  alone,  I  stole  in  as  noise 
lessly  as  possible." 

"  Mr.  Ascher  here  ? "  said  her  mother,  hur 
riedly  rising.  "  Pray  let  me  go  to  him  at  once. 
Where  is  he,  Meta  ? " 

"  Out  in  the  garden  —  with  —  guess  whom, 
mamma!"  —  slowly  and  mischievously. 

"  Monsieur  Jean,  I  suppose.  I'm  not  good  at 
guessing,  you  know,  dear." 

"Monsieur  Jean,  mamma!  Why,  he  sailed 
for  France  a  month  ago !  No,  indeed  !  it  is  my 
dear  Winny  Clifton ;  and  Mr.  Ascher  has 
brought  her  here  to  give  me  a  charming  sur- 


THE  SEEN  AND   UNSEEN. 


329 


prise.  O  mamma !  he  has  bought  Bellevue ;  and 
there  is  something  very  mysterious  about  it ; 
and  there's  to  be  an  infant  department — I  don't 
know  exactly  what !  " 

"  '  Bought  Bellevue  ! '  — '  infant  department ! ' 
Why,  Meta  !  you  are  losing  your  wits." 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it,  mamma !  But  come  out  to 
Winny,  please.  She  is  waiting  in  the  carriage ; 
and  when  we  have  welcomed  her  among  us,  Mr. 
Ascher  will  tell  you  the  wonderful  plan  he  has 
so  slyly  conceived  in  his  dear  old  head." 

Mrs.  Wallace,  quite  as  curious  as  Meta,  fol 
lowed  her  out  to  the  carriage,  giving  Miss  Clif 
ton  a  warm  welcome,  though  she  had  appeared 
so  unexpectedly  among  them. 

"  I  fear  you  will  think  me  very  unceremoni 
ous,"  smiled  Winny,  half  apologizing  ;  "  but  Mr. 
Ascher  would  not  listen  to  reason,  and  I  was 
obliged  to  appear  unannounced." 

Mr.  Ascher  smiled  too,  as  he  assisted  the 
invalid  to  her  inseparable  companion,  the 
wheeled  chair ;  but  he  positively  refused  to  be 
questioned,  until  the  smoke  of  his  favorite  pipe 
inspired  him  to  eloquence. 

"  Don't  think  I  am  going  to  beg  you  to  tell," 
said  Meta,  pouting ;  "  you  are  a  naughty  old 
gentleman,  and  when  the  spirit  of  contradiction 
is  roused,  I  have  nothing  to  do  with  you  !  " 


33O  MET  A    WALLACE,  OR 

"  I  wouldn't  curb  such  independence,"  said 
Mr.  Ascher,  rubbing  his  hands,  and  laughing ; 
"  it  would  be  a  pity  to  disturb  such  unfeminine 
self-possession.  I  don't  believe  you  have  your 
share  of  curiosity.  But  never  mind  !  I  am  not 
going  to  tease,  to-night.  Just  run  off  and  make 
me  one  of  your  famous  cups  of  tea,  and  give  me 
a  nice  little  supper,  and  I'll  promise  you  a  whole 
evening's  good  behavior  to  pay  for  it." 

And  when  Winny  was  made  thoroughly  com 
fortable,  and  had  partaken  of  Meta's  abundant 
refreshment,  Mr.  Ascher  consented  to  light  his 
pipe  and  unfold  the  mystery,  which  had  puzzled 
his  young  friend  all  through  the  supper,  notwith 
standing  her  determination  not  to  appear  inter 
ested  in  anything  beyond  the  praise  lavished 
upon  her  success  as  a  housekeeper. 

Mrs.  Wallace  was  overcome  with  surprise  and 
emotion  when  she  learned  the  extent  of  Mr.  As- 
cher's  generous  designs,  and  Meta  could  scarcely 
believe  it  possible  that  she  was  really  mistress 
of  Bellevue ;  the  beautiful  home  that  had  been 
the  birthplace  and  the  grave  of  so  many  genera 
tions  of  Wallaces,  until  it  had  passed  out  of  their 
possession  with  the  rest  of  their  wealth,  never, 
as  they  thought,  to  be  recovered. 

Mr.  Ascher  had  purchased  the  estate  with 
some  difficulty,  as  its  present  owner  could  not 


THE  SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  331 

be  induced,  except  by  the  offer  of  an  almost  fab 
ulous  sum,  to  sell  the  property  at  all ;  but  per 
severance  and  a  high  price  had  finally  overcome, 
and  Bellevue  passed  into  Mr.  Ascher's  hands. 
He  had  settled  the  valuable  property  upon  Meta 
as  soon  as  the  sale  was  concluded,  reserving 
only  a  small  portion  of  the  tract  as  a  building 
site,  in  order  to  carry  out  his  long-cherished  de 
sign  of  founding  an  orphan  school.  As  soon  as 
possible  after  obtaining  possession  of  the  estate, 
he  had  built  and  thoroughly  fitted  up  a  large, 
handsome  house  for  his  orphans ;  and,  finding 
the  Bellevue  house  and  furniture  unchanged, 
save  for  the  wear  and  tear  of  time,  had  made 
no  additions  or  alterations,  that  his  friends 
might  have  the  greater  pleasure  in  returning  to 
their  old  home. 

When  his  design  appeared  likely  to  be  car 
ried  out,  Mr.  Ascher  had  written  to  Miss  Clif 
ton,  from  a  generous  desire  of  providing  a  pleas 
ant  and  lucrative  employment  for  his  favorite's 
old  friend,  and  after  unfolding  his  plans,  and 
assuring  her  that  her  assistance  would  be  inval 
uable,  had  induced  her  to  accept  the  position  of 
matron.  Winny  was  overjoyed  at  the  prospect 
of  such  a  home,  and  a  life  of  real  usefulness 
among  the  little  ones  whom  Mr.  Ascher's  benev 
olence  had  rescued  from  want  and  sin ;  and  the 


332  AT  ETA    WALLACE,  OR 

idea  of  being  permanently  settled  near  Meta 
added  no  little  to  her  delight  in  furthering  the 
good  man's  charitable  designs. 

Mrs.  Wallace  could  not  restrain  her  tears  as 
Mr.  Ascher  so  naturally,  and  as  if  it  were  all  a 
matter  of  course,  revealed  how  entirely  his 
thoughts  and  time  had  been  devoted  to  Meta's 
interests  ;  but  at  first  she  refused  to  listen  to 
such  munificent  kindness. 

"  My  dear  madam,"  pleaded  Mr.  Ascher,  "  I 
am  only  anticipating.  Meta  can't  get  out  of  her 
heirship  unless  you'd  have  me  look  up  a  fifty- 
ninth  cousin  somewhere  in  China.  I  have  made, 
and  shall  not  unmake,  my  will ;  and,  whether  she 
like  it  or  no,  this  young  lady,  being  '  sole  daugh 
ter  of  my  heart,'  is  possessor,  after  me,  of  all  I 
have.  Bellevue  is  only  a  slice  of  my  pie  —  " 

"If  there  were  no  other  reason,"  interrupted 
Mrs.  Wallace,  quickly,  "  I  could  not  willingly 
expose  my  darling  to  the  temptations  of  such  a 
lot,  my  kind  friend.  Indeed,  you  can  never  un 
derstand  the  snares  we  women  encounter  in  a 
life  of  luxury,  or  how  difficult  it  is  to  keep  one's 
self  unspotted  from  the  world,  when  that  world 
is  bowing  at  our  feet.  Nay,  Mr.  Ascher  !  I 
can  never  express  my  gratitude  for  your  exceed 
ing  kindness ;  but  let  Meta  live  away  from  the 
dazzling  allurements  that  would  assail  her,  and 


THE   SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  333 

do  not  lay  snares  for  her  feet.  She  is  better  in 
her  present  position.  Surely,  no  one  could  be 
happier  than  my  sweet-voiced  bird,  with  only  the 
plain  little  nest  to  shelter  her ;  but  let  us  once 
appear  in  the  world  that  has  forgotten  us,  and 
who  could  interpose  to  save  our  innocent  Meta 
from  life's  temptations,  its  bewildering  glam 
our—" 

"  She  is  in  a  mighty  hand,  dear  friend,"  in 
terrupted  Mr.  Ascher,  solemnly ;  "  and  He  in 
whom  is  all  her  trust  will  give  her  the  victory 
in  the  path  he  ordains.  I  admit  that  wealth 
brings  great  responsibilities,  but  I  deny  that 
because  of  this  we  cannot  keep  our  lamps  burn 
ing  and  our  hearts  pure.  The  field  is  larger,  the 
opportunities  of  doing  good  almost  unbounded, 
and,  if  we  dispense  the  riches  God  vouchsafes 
us  for  the  benefit  of  his  own  suffering  ones,  the 
peace  and  blessing  of  labor  well  done  comes  as 
sweet  as  though  the  widow  had  dropped  her 
mite  into  the  treasury.  Christian  use  of  wealth 
has  accomplished  so  many  of  the  inestimable 
blessings  of  the  world,  that  we  should  not  shrink 
from  the  stewardship  if  it  is  given  us.  But  it  is 
useless  to  argue !  Let  me  only  say  that  my  or 
phan  school  and  its  support,  together  with  sun 
dry  other  vagaries,  if  you  will,  have  already  ab 
sorbed  a  goodly  portion  of  my  means,  and  Meta 


334  META    WALLACE,  OR 

will  not  be  cumbered  with  vast  estates.  Not 
enough,  I  warrant  you,  my  lady,"  turning  to  the 
thoughtful  face,  raised  so  earnestly  to  his  own 
— "  not  enough  to  give  you  many  such  meals 
as  you  indulged  in  when  my  note  happened  to 
be  conveniently  near.  By  the  way,  I  hardly 
think  my  orphans  will  be  quite  safe  in  your  vi 
cinity,  Meta.  Suppose  you  took  a  fancy  to  swal 
low  the  whole  set,  Miss  Clifton  into  the  bar- 
"gain?" 

"  Am  I  never  to  have  any  peace  ? "  pouted 
Meta,  kissing  his  hand,  that  lay  with  all  its  wrin 
kles  and  sunburn  on  her  own  fair,  dainty  palm. 
"  Don't  be  afraid  for  your  orphans  !  Dear  little 
creatures !  how  nice  it  will  be  to  play  with  them 
and  show  them  the  delights  of  the  dear  Bellevue 
woods.  I  quite  dote  on  babies !  " 

"Babies  in  linen  cambric  and  ruffles,  war 
ranted  not  to  cry,  possibly,  though  I  doubt  even 
that.  I  am  skeptical  of  the  fact,  but  we  will  let 
it  pass.  But  what  say  you  to  very  dirty  faces, 
and  obstinate  little  wills  to  conquer,  and  manners 
something  entirely  original  and  outside  the  civil 
ized  code  ?  I  have  picked  up  my  poor  little 
ones  in  the  alleys  and  by-ways,  and  we  have  not 
begun  the  good  work  yet.  Will  you  be  discour 
aged  with  my prottg/s,  think  you?" 

"  You  know  that  I  will  not !     I  believe  you 


THE  SEEN  AND    UNSEEN.  335 

are  teasing  me,  as  usual ;  and  I  leave  you  the 
field,  unfought !  Only,  pray  reserve  the  baby 
department  for  me." 

Mr.  Ascher  made  some  jesting  remark,  and 
then  renewed  his  discussion  with  Mrs.  Wallace, 
succeeding,  after  much  argument,  in  gaining  his 
point. 

"  It  wouldn't  do  to  lose  my  lawyer's  fee,"  he 
said,  with  mock  seriousness;  "so  Meta  must 
take  Bellevue,  since  I  have  waived  all  right  and 
title  to  the'  place,  and  have  honestly  paid  for  the 
deed.  And  now,  when  can  we  move,  bag  and 
baggage?" 

"  It  will  be  hard  to  leave  the  cottage,"  sighed 
Mrs.  Wallace,  her  eyes  filling  with  tears.  "  Ev 
erything  that  I  have  learned  of  life's  earnestness 
and  blessedness  has  come  to  me  here;  and  it  is 
hard,  too,  to  leave  my  darling's  grave  to  stran-, 
gers.  Think  of  careless  hands  and  ruthless  foot 
steps  at  work  where  all  is  so  sacred  to  me! " 

Gently  and  kindly  Mr.  Ascher  touched  upon 
the  sore  wound  in  the  mother's  heart,  as  he  told 
of  the  plain  marble  column,  engraven  with 
Florry's  name,  which  his  ever-kind  thoughtful- 
ness  had  provided,  and  which  only  awaited  the 
removal  of  the  young  girl's  remains  to  take  its 
place  among  the  rest  of  her  race,  who  slumbered 
in  everlasting  silence  near  the  beautiful  Hudson. 


336  META    WALLACE,  OR 

At  this  touching  evidence  of  the  old  man's 
faithful  friendship,  Mrs.  Wallace,  subdued  to 
tears,  made  no  further  resistance,  but  joyfully 
and  gratefully  allowed  him  t6  have  his  way,  list 
ening  with  interest  to  his  charitable  plans  for 
the  welfare  of  the  children  he  had  saved  from 
poverty  and  suffering,  and  thanking  God  from 
her  heart  for  the  blessing  left  her  in  so  good 
and  true  a  friend. 

Before  the  summer  was  over,  the  threshold  of 
Bellevue  was  crossed,  and  the  mother  and  daugh 
ter,  with  their  faithful  Bridget,  comfortably  set 
tled  under  the  old  roof-tree. 

"Times  is  changed,  my  darlint,"  sighed  the 
old  nurse,  as  they  sat  before  the  nursery  fire,  for 
the  sake  of  "  lang  syne,"  on  the  first  evening  of 
their  arrival,  Mrs.  Wallace  having  retired  to 
her  chamber  to  indulge  the  sadness  she  could 
not  resist,  in  coming  back  to  these  familiar 
scenes.  "  Times  is  changed,"  sighed  Bridget, 
"  but  it  seems,  Meta,  as  we've  much  to  be  thank 
ful  for,  after  all !  Johnny  and  Florry  is  only  be 
come  treasure  in  heaven,  like,  and  your  mamma 
so  changed,  and  we  safe  in  the  old  place.  God 
be  praised  for  his  mercies !  " 

"  Yes,  it  really  seems  that  all  things  work  to 
gether  for  good,  dear  Bridget.  Even  when  we 


THE  SEEN  AND   UNSEEN.  337 

cannot  see  a  step  before  us,  we  know  that  He 
with  whom  there  is  no  night  is  guiding  us  aright, 
and  only  bids  us  trust  Him  for  a  little  time. 
When  Florry  was  so  ill,  so  evidently  fading 
away,  and  yet  seemed  so  unconscious  and 
thoughtless  of  the  future  awaiting  her,  I  some 
times  felt  discouraged ;  for  it  seemed  the  little 
I  could  do  was  so  little  —  " 

"  Ay,  there's  our  fault,  Meta  !  We  too  often 
sneers  and  fights  shy  of  the  little  things,  think 
ing  ourselves  mighty  enough  to  do  something 
for  the  world  to  see.  That's  our  trouble  !  We 
looks  for  harvest,  sure,  before  we've  worked  the 
seed  ;  and,  if  people  don't  turn  around  to  praise 
the  task,  we  gets  mighty  tired  of  the  heat  and 
rain  and  then  the  drought.  We  never  stops  to 
think  that  the  little  seed  of  corn  makes  a  great 
stalk  and  a  full  ear  if  we  only  gives  it  time.  So, 
be  not  discouraged  with  the  little  things,  dar- 
lint ;  they  grow  into  big  things  by-and-by  !  " 

"Yes,"  said  Meta,  gazing  wistfully  into  the 
bright  blaze  on  the  hearthstone,  which  Bridget 
had  kindled  "for  cheer's  sake;"  "yes,  we  have 
much  to  thank  God  for  in  all  these  years. 
Mamma  is  so  changed,  and  Florry  safe  in 
heaven,  and  dear  Mr.  Ascher  and  Winny  living 
at  our  very  door,  and  you  back  in  the  nursery. 
Oh,  dear  old  Bridget !  how  good  you've  been ! " 


338  MET  A    WALLACE,   OR 

Here  Meta,  not  having  outgrown,  yet,  her 
fondness  for  suffocating  caresses,  gave  the  old 
nurse  an  affectionate  hug. 

"  Even  Edward  seems  to  have  changed  since 
Florry's  death,"  she  continued,  musingly,  when 
Bridget  had  cried  out  for  mercy ;  "  his  last  letter 
was  full  of  love  to  mamma,  and  he  spoke  so  long 
ingly  of  home.  Mr.  Ascher  thinks  that  his 
great  success  in  agricultural  invention  will  keep 
him  steady,  and  I  feel  very  sure  that  he  is  think 
ing  seriously  of  life.  Mamma  was  so  gratified 
when  he  sent  Mr.  Ascher  what  he  called  the 
first-fruits  of  his  labors  for  the  orphan  school. 
I  never  should  have  believed  that  Edward  could 
take  an  interest  in  such  things.  Oh,  I  trust  we 
will  yet  see  him  a  Christian." 

Bridget  did  not  reply,  and  the  two  sank  into  a 
reverie  which  was  not  broken  until  the  chiming 
of  the  nursery  clock  reminded  them  that  the 
night  was  far  spent  And,  truly,  in  Meta's  fair, 
sunny  life,  "  the  morning  was  at  hand." 

We  leaye  her  striving  to  run  with  patience  the 
race  set  before  her,  looking  unto  Christ.  If  her 
example  shall  have  encouraged  one  youthful 
heart  to  do  and  to  bear  little  things,  believing 
that  in  God's  own  time  they  grow  in  stature  and 
in  strength,  bringing  a  mighty  harvest  from  the 
tiny  seed,  we  shall  not  have  written  in  vain.  If 


THE  SEEN  AND  UNSEEN.  339 

it  seems  hard,  when  "  the  outward  man  perish," 
to  trust  the  mercy  by  which  "  the  inward  man 
is  renewed  day  by  day,"  let  us  not  be  faithless 
but  believing,  crying  to  our  faint  hearts  and 
shrinking  spirits  :  "  Why  art  thou  cast  down,  oh 
my  soul  ?  and  why  art  thou  disquieted  within 
me?" 

"  Hope  thou  in  God  !  ior  I  will  yet  praise  Him, 
who  is  the  health  of  my  countenance  and  my 
God." 


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